Senator Leila De Lima kept her promise to continue the fight she has started.
Senator Leila De Lima thrown a dare to President Rodrigo Duterte amid the ongoing accusations that she is involved in illegal drugs trade inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
On Wednesday, de Lima called for a press conference and she dared Duterte arrest her immediately.
“Tama na. Hulihin ninyo na ako ngayon. ‘Yun naman talaga gusto niyo. Ikulong ninyo na ako ngayon. I’m here. Do what you want to me, Mr. President. I will wait for you,” De Lima said.
The female senator reiterated that she is innocent, thus, she will not run away from the allegations against her, no matter how concocted these are.
“What am I supposed to do now? Tell me now. I’m not going to leave this country and escape anything because there is nothing to escape from,” De Lima said.
“I want to fight here in the country. Hindi po ako duwag dahil wala akong kasalanan. ‘Yung mga nagtatago lamang, at tsaka ‘yung mga duwag ang umaatras. Hindi si Leila de Lima. Hindi ako pinalaki ng tatay ko para maging duwag,” she added.
De Lima has turned emotional where she said that even her former staff are being harassed by the government in an attempt to testify against her on the hearing of the Kamara.
“I feel so helpless. I cannot even help them with lawyers,” the senator said.
She reiterated that the accusations against her are fueled by the “personal vendetta” of Duterte and the “shady characters” who also targetted to grind with her.
“This is the worst challenge in its sobrang sheer brazenness. It’s almost surreal, unimaginable, unprecedented na ginagawa ng sitting Pangulo ang ginagawa niya ngayon against a sitting senator because of personal vendetta and whatever motives he has,” De Lima said.
“Tapos ginagamit as pawns, as tools, as instruments mga the likes of Aguirre and all other operators,” she added, referring to Aguirre.
De Lima said the allegations against her is already affecting also her family, and distracting her from her work as a senator.
“I have no option. I’m just here. I’m just trying to do my job even if I’m so distracted,” she said.
“It has taken a toll on my health, on my well being. My family is suffering…No one in this room can imagine itong dinadala ko dito sa loob na hindi ko alam bakit ako, ako at ako,” De Lima said.
Asked for comment on Wednesday before he flew to Vietnam for the two-day official visit, Duterte said De Lima should take a break.
“With all due respect… I think she is breaking down. I suggest she takes days off. If she keeps on yakking, she will have a nervous breakdown,” Duterte said.
