House leaders file complaint vs Dayan for disobedience
MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and two other members of the House of Representatives sued Sen. Leila de Lima's former driver and boyfriend Ronnie Dayan for failing to appear before the congressional body that summoned him.
In a complained filed at the Department of Justice on Thursday, Alvarez along with Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas and justice committee chair Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali said Dayan violated Article 150 of the Revised Penal Code sanctioning "disobedience to summons."
The lawmakers said Dayan admitted that he disobeyed the subpoena and show cause order issued by the justice panel in its inquiry into the drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison.
"He was induced by Sen. Leila M. de Lima through his daughter, Ms. Hannah Mae Dayan via SMS, to remain in hiding and not to appear in the Congressional Inquiry. Such explanation is clearly unjustified," the affidavit of the three House members read.
Dayan was arrested on Nov. 22, 2016, two days after which he appeared at the hearing.
Last week, De Lima was indicted for obstruction of justice in a case filed by the lawmakers earlier this month.
De Lima is an emerging opposition leader who is vocal against President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs and extrajudicial killings since his term as mayor in Davao City.
She admitted that she had an affair with Dayan, who served as her driver while she was the justice secretary under the Aquino administration.
The two, who earlier admitted to having romantic relations, are accused of collecting money from the drug trade in the national penitentiary. De Lima has denied all allegations.
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