De Lima pleads the president to cease in linking her to the illegal drug trade and she would consider it as a gift on her upcoming 57th birthday.
Senator Leila de Lima pleads to Presidente Rodrigo Duterte to stop linking her to the illegal drug trade in the country, particularly in the illicit activities inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
De Lima’s pleading came after Duterte revealed the drug matrix which he has been telling the media and the public that he would be releasing to show proof of the senator’s involvement in the illegal drug trade in the Bilibid.
The president has earlier accused De Lima of receiving huge amounts of money from drug lords imprisoned in the NBP to fund her senatorial bid in the May 9 elections.
De Lima asked the president to cease in throwing issues on her as a birthday gift.
The senator is set to celebrate her 57th birthday on August 27, Saturday.
“Sana po, Mr. President, malapit na ang birthday ko, sana matapos na itong kabulastugang ito,” pakiusap pa ni De Lima. “Noong nakita ko ito, natatawa na lang ako. Naaawa ako sa pangulo.”
“Sana po sa matitira ko pang mga taon dito, mahaba-haba pa naman siguro yan, God willing, dito sa mundong ito, makabuluhan naman ng aking gagawiin rather than ito na napipilatan akong sumasagot sa mga kabulastugan na ito.”
However, De Lima was asking the president if it was also a joke, just like his threatening that he would pullout the Philippines’ membership to the United Nations which he later denounced as a joke.
“Is this a joke? Was it a joke?” she said.
The matrix released early Thursday by Duterte showed seven people linked to the Bilibid narcotics trade with De Lima the highest ranking official in it. Others in it were De Lima’s driver Ronie Dayan, Pangasinan Rep. Amado Espino Jr., former Justice Undersecretary Francisco “Toti” Baraan III, Pangasinan Provincial Administrator Rafael “Raffy” Baraan, retired Gen. Franklin Bucayo and Pangasinan Board Member Raul Sison.
De Lima said she is not surprised by the allegations, especially as it is from someone who has long professed to destroy her at all costs.
She said, however, said that she is 100 percent sure of her innocence.
“Bahala na sila kung mayroon talagang tunay na ebidensya. Bahala na sila kung anong gawin nila sa ebidensya.”
