It was supposed to be a birthday greeting for Sen. Leila de Lima, but it sounded like an ominous warning.
鈥淢y birthday wish to the good senator is, I hope she sleeps soundly tonight鈥攁nd thereafter,鈥� presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo said of President Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚 most vocal critic, who turns 57 today.
READ: Panelo鈥檚 birthday wish for De Lima: a sound sleep
Panelo took note of Mr. Duterte鈥檚 statement that De Lima must be having a 鈥渘ightmare鈥� now, following his allegation that she was linked to the drug trade.
The President on Thursday came out with a matrix that supposedly showed the senator鈥檚 links to drug syndicates at New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
De Lima, who denied the President鈥檚 claims, said one of her wishes for her birthday was for Mr. Duterte to leave her alone.
But Panelo indicated that this may not be granted. 鈥淟eave her alone? It seems the President has not even started. It seems he has just given her a taste of what鈥檚 to come,鈥� he told reporters.
On the take?
In linking the former justice secretary to the narcotics trade, the President alleged that De Lima was 鈥渙n the take鈥� and had allowed the proliferation of illegal drugs in NBP.
Mr. Duterte also claimed that De Lima鈥檚 driver, who was allegedly her lover, collected drug payoffs for her.
De Lima disputed the claims about her links to the illegal drug trade, and said she was willing to resign and be shot if there was real evidence of her alleged role. She also bewailed that her personal life was being dragged into the issue.
On Thursday, the senator said she also hoped to find a new love who could be with her through her ordeal.
Malaca帽ang said that people named in the drug matrix shown by President Duterte could face criminal charges,聽 鈥渋f and when鈥� the information had been verified.
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said yesterday that 鈥渄rug-related graft鈥� cases would be filed against those listed in the matrix, among them De Lima and Pangasinan Rep. Amado Espino Jr.
The information that the President disclosed had been verified as to the personalities, 鈥渂ut the other links, the so-called links are being finalized,鈥� Abella said.
De Lima described the President鈥檚 matrix as 鈥渓aughable鈥� and 鈥済arbage,鈥� saying it was not even clear about the roles of the people named in drug operations. She also noted that it contained grammatical errors.
Abella said Mr. Duterte鈥檚 matrix was based on 鈥渃ollective and collaborative intelligence,鈥� adding that 鈥渉e has certain basis which we are not privy to.鈥�
Espino, in denying any drug links, pointed out that De Lima had filed cases against him and that they were never friendly.
Witnesses
To which Panelo responded:聽 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 follow. Even if you were rivals in some cases, you could be friendly in other matters.鈥�
The presidential legal counsel also defended the matrix, saying that its grammatical errors would not change the fact of De Lima鈥檚 links to illegal drugs based on intelligence reports.
Panelo quoted Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aquirre as saying that they have witnesses against De Lima and were gathering more affidavits.
De Lima, who led a Senate inquiry into the extrajudicial killings of drug suspects, raised concerns about the spate of violence across聽 the country and its possible disregard for human rights and due process.
As justice secretary in the Aquino administration, she also called out then Davao City Mayor Duterte for his alleged links to the Davao Death Squad.
Mr. Duterte said De Lima was the first to violate human rights when she aired allegations about his links to the vigilante group without having them substantiated.
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