Pangasinan – De Lima’s gift to her driver is said to be the two-story white house in Brgy. Galarin, Urbiztondo, Pangasinan. Duterte earlier announced that the Senator was in a fishy relationship with her driver.
President Duterte linked De Lima to the illegal drug trade in the country. The President claimed that her driver was her bagman, the one who is collecting money as a drug payoffs for her. Duterte also cited that De Lima was in a relationship with her driver.
The Inquirer visited the area where the said house was, but the neighborhood was very aware of the issue and was tight-lipped about the private lives of the senator and her driver.
The Galarin neighborhood would neither confirm nor deny the allegations that the house was De Lima’s gift for her driver.
Rodolfo Licuanan, village chief, said that the senator’s driver also owns an orange bungalow where his children lives. The said house is located about 100 meters from the two-story white house.
Inquirer confirmed the identity of the driver as Ronnie Palisoc Dayan. The man has two married children with their families, while his youngest child is still in high school according to Licuanan.
The people in the village also confirmed that the senator and her driver was seen several times in the area. The senator often stayed at the two-story white house together with her driver when she was still visiting the village.
De Lima, the former justice secretary and also the former human rights commissioner, previously condemn Duterte when he was still the acting mayor of Davao City for his activity and his underground group of people who annihilates drug dealers.
De Lima also accused the President for the consecutive cruel eradication of unknown persons alleged as drug lords. The senator said that the process of the president on his war against illegal drugs is very inhuman.