Dayan released from Senate custody

MANILA, Philippines – Witness Ronnie Dayan was released from Senate custody on Monday to allow him “space to reboot his memory,” Sen. Panfilo Lacson said yesterday.

“We let him go. Since his arrest, he has not rested, that’s why his mind is confused. We advised him to compose himself, rest so that he can remember what he needs to remember,” Lacson said.

Dayan was allowed to go back to his safehouse in Pangasinan and to be with his family.

Lacson stressed this would give Dayan more time to prepare himself to reveal what more he has to offer about the links of his former boss, Sen. Leila de Lima, and other personalities to the illegal drug trade.

“I think that is a proper approach so as to reboot his memory… So we deemed it wise to give him some more space, some more time, to really compose himself,” he said.

Dayan was declared in contempt by the Senate upon the motion of Sen. Manny Pacquiao during a hearing last Monday for apparently trying to downplay his role in De Lima’s alleged dealings with confessed drug dealer Rolando “Kerwin” Espinosa, and hiding other crucial information.

Dayan was picked up by his wife and daughter from the Senate and was escorted to his safehouse in Pangasinan by members of the Senate security and a police SWAT team.

Lacson, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III and Sens. Gregorio Honasan and Pacquiao talked with Dayan for about an hour over coffee and biscuits while he was detained.

They decided to have him released for humanitarian reasons.

Lacson is the chairman of the Senate committee investigating the killing of Kerwin’s father, Albuera, Leyte mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. on Nov. 5.

The elder Espinosa, along with another inmate Raul Yap, were killed during a supposed shootout with police serving a search warrant in their detention cells.

Lacson said Dayan wanted to see his other children, whom he has not seen since he was arrested and detained in Camp Crame last Nov. 22.

Lacson said Dayan committed to appear before the committee when it conducts another hearing.

Senators grilled Dayan and Kerwin on Monday to reconcile their testimonies. Their testimonies were similar on the portion that Kerwin gave a total of P8 million, on three occasions, to De Lima through Dayan as his contribution to her campaign kitty for the senatorial elections.

They also similarly testified that Kerwin and De Lima met in Burnham Park in Baguio City. Kerwin said the meeting took place in November 2015 but Dayan maintained it happened in 2014.

Dayan had admitted having an affair with De Lima for seven years.

Weary after being grilled for over six hours, and after being shown a Facebook post with a picture of the meeting dated Nov. 19, 2015, Dayan conceded that it happened that year.

Pacquiao expressed doubts Dayan was acting as conduit only for Kerwin.

Pacquiao said he had the impression that Dayan was meeting other drug lords.

Lacson said Dayan also mentioned during their conversation that he and De Lima visited Leyte, where the Espinosas run their drug operations, a few times before the elections.

‘No more love, only pity’

De Lima saw Dayan for the first time in months on Monday and was emotional during the hearing, where she appealed to him and Kerwin to tell only the truth.

De Lima told reporters yesterday that she no longer feels love for Dayan but only pity because he was being pressured to testify against her.

“I easily forgive, though I don’t easily forget people who’ve wronged me. I really pity him so may God bless him and his family,” De Lima said.

She said Dayan knows that she is not hiding anything bad about her life.

“But as I said, I feel a moral obligation to really help him in his current situation. But I won’t try to access him as this might give the wrong impression,” she said.

De Lima added she was tipped about some increased threats against her life so she is stepping up her security. – With Eva Visperas