De Lima slams Lacson over ‘enough basis’ remark

MANILA, Philippines (Philippines News Agency) — Sen. Leila de Lima slammed fellow Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Wednesday for his previous remark about there being enough basis to file charges against her over the proliferation of illegal drugs in the New Bilibid Prison during her term as Justice secretary.

 

A number of witnesses faced the House of Representatives on Tuesday to link the lady senator to the illegal trade drug in the penitentiary.

 

Lacson was quoted saying that there is enough basis for the Department of Justice to file charges against De Lima.

 

RELATED: Enough evidence vs Leila – Ping

 

“Why is Sen. Ping saying now, based on media reports, that there's enough basis to now file charges against me prescinding from what transpired at yesterday's House hearing?” De Lima said in a statement sent to media.

 

“Is he convinced of the authenticity and veracity of the ‘stories’ of those obviously perjured witnesses? I'm aghast by some people's propensity for doublespeak!” she added.

 

She also lamented how Lacson would simply laugh off the persecution and harassment being done to her when he himself has been through the same when he went into hiding in 2010 after being tagged as responsible for the death of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito in 2000.

Lacson, however, said she got it all wrong and clarified that he was laughing at what she is going through now compared to what he had experienced before.

 

“I wasn't referring to the credibility of evidence being presented against her now and against me before, but the degree of harassment that former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her cohorts in practically all the agencies of government were throwing against me,” he said.

 

“I was all alone at that time. I had practically nobody on my side except probably my family, while she has her LP (Liberal Party) allies supporting her now,” he added.

 

He, meanwhile, stood by his earlier statement that De Lima should not be twisting his statement to suit her purpose.