Leila forgives ‘Judases’ in her life

MANILA, Philippines - In the spirit of Lent, Sen. Leila de Lima has chosen to forgive the “Judases” in her life who she said lied and helped put her where she is now. 

De Lima, in detention at Camp Crame after being charged with alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), said that she understood why the convicts and some people who were close to her before chose to falsely testify against her.

“I know that they went through their own calvary. They have been subjected to various forms of pressure and machinations in order to pin me down,” De Lima said in a statement.  

“Several others identified with me were similarly accessed and pressured but are apparently made of sterner stuff than those who succumbed,” she added. 

De Lima named the convicts at the NBP, her former driver Ronnie Dayan, former aide Joenel Sanchez and former Bureau of Corrections chief Rafael Ragos as the “Judases in my life.” 

In the Bible, Judas betrayed Jesus Christ for 30 pieces of silver, turning him over to the authorities, which led to his crucifixion. 

De Lima said that she understood that her Judases, too, were victims, and as such, deserve forgiveness. 

“In forgiveness, I find peace, inner peace. In forgiveness, I become stronger while my tormentors – those who coached, coerced and induced the false witnesses – become weaker. I commend these sinners to God almighty and offer them mercy,” she said. 

The convicts and the other persons mentioned by De Lima testified against her in the inquiry by the House of Representatives on the proliferation of illegal drugs at the NBP. 

In their testimonies, they claimed that De Lima paved the way for the proliferation of the drug trade there and that she received payola from drug syndicates.