AN OFFICIAL of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care (CBCP-ECPPC) has defended Senator Leila de Lima against those accusing her of allowing drug proliferation in the National Bilibid Prison (NBP).
CBCP–ECPPC Executive Secretary Rodolfo Diamante noted that such allegations need to be supported by sufficient evidence and accusers should present evidence not on statements of inmates.
"With my knowledge and working relationship with her, I could not believe that she is behind the drug dealings trade in the NBP," he said after the mass in observance of the World Day Against Death Penalty at the CBCP Chapel in Intramuros, Manila on Monday.
At the same time, Diamante said that he finds it hard to believe that the former DOJ chief is behind the proliferation of the illegal drugs operations at the NBP.
"I am basing it on the character of the person, based on my own knowledge. The consistency of the character of this person from the time I got to know her when we were working with her, I have not heard of any anomalies," he added.
With this, Diamante challenged her accusers to file the appropriate case against her.
"In the case of Senator de Lima, why not file a case in a proper forum? Build up a case and file a case. If they have a proof, file a case. That is the process,” he said.
The CBCP-ECPPC official believes that the ones accusing De Lima are people with "axes to grind".
"The people they are listening to are those with axes to grind against her since it was her that dismantled their operations at the NBP. How can they say she is the benefactor? It’s hard to believe that," said Diamante.
On Monday, the House panel held its fourth and last hearing on the NBP drug trade with inmate Jaybee Sebastian as among those that testified.
For her part, the Senator denied the statements of Sebastian that she got money from drugs to support her candidacy in the 2016 polls.
"Napakalaking kasinungalingan po yan, nasaan po ang pera, unang una. Pangalawa hindi ko po gagawin yan, wala po akong ganyan na pera, na galing sa droga. 'Yung ginamit ko po sa kampanya, puro lang yun ito tulong sa mga supporters, sa mga pamilya, sa kaibigan, sa relatives but not a single centavo from the so called drug money," she said.
De Lima added: "Nagsisinungaling po yan si Jaybee dahil sa sabi ko nga, malamang hindi na niyan nakayanan yung pressure na gusto pa nga siyang patayin, alam ko talagang gusto siyang patayin." (FP/Sunnex)