By Jeffrey Damicog
Detained Senator Leila De Lima reminded that she has been detained since 2017 with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and could not have been involved in the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” viral videos as part of the destabilization plot against President Rodrigo Duterte.
Senator Leila de Lima
(REUTERS / Romeo Ranoco / MANILA BULLETIN)
“After all, it is an irrefutable fact that I have been detained since 24 February 2017, and has been under the custody of the PNP 24 hours a day for the last 928 days,” read her counter-affidavit dated September 9.
The senator also indicated that “communication devices are among the ‘List of Contraband Items’ identified by the PNP Custodial Center.”
De Lima has been detained at the Custodial Center of the PNP in Camp Crame, Quezon City after the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court (RTC) issued arrest warrants against her for three drug charges she is facing in connection with her alleged involvement in the proliferation of the narcotics trade at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
The counter-affidavit was submitted before the Department of Justice (DOJ) panel of prosecutors conducting the preliminary investigation of the sedition complaint filed against her and 36 others including members of the opposition.
The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) filed the sedition complaint before the DOJ on July 18 and accused the respondents of having committed sedition, inciting to sedition, cyber libel, libel, estafa, harboring a criminal, and obstruction of justice.
The case stemmed from the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos which features the hooded Bikoy who was later revealed to be Peter Joemel Advincula and accused a number of personalities including members of the Duterte family as being involved in the illegal drugs trade.
“As averred by Mr. Advincula, he was engaged by the respondents to spread lies against the President, his family and close associate, making them to appear as illegal trade protectors and how they earned staggering amounts of money,” read the PNP-CIDG complaint.
De Lima pointed out in her counter-affidavit that the complaint is “bereft of any specific allegations against me.”
The senator said that she was only mentioned in the sworn affidavit of Advincula “in passing and never as an active participant.”
“If anything, Mr. Advincula’s narration is proof, not just of his lack of personal knowledge as to what my alleged participation, if any, is, but my actual lack of participation,” the lawmaker stated.
De Lima noted Advincula mentioned a certain “Atty. Fil” as having participated in the plot and said is the lawyer of the senator.
“I acknowledge that he is a member of my staff and is, in fact, my Chief of Staff,” said De Lima who is referring to Atty. Philip Sawali.
However, she said she has “no personal knowledge of his dealings with others and vice versa.”