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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Government witness vs Kerwin Espinosa recants allegations against De Lima

Government witness vs Kerwin Espinosa recants allegations against De Lima

Published Jun 1, 2022 06:02 pm

A government witness in a case against Kerwin Espinosa has recanted allegations against detained Senator Leila de Lima linking her to illegal drug trade.

Marcelo Adorco, a person deprived of liberty (PDL) at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa, executed counter-affidavits wherein he denied personally knowing De Lima and the alleged meeting of the senator and Espinosa in Baguio City.

Detained Senator Leila de Lima arrives at the Muntinlupa Hall of Justice for a hearing in April 2019 (Jonathan Hicap)

In one counter-affidavit that was submitted to the Department of Justice on May 24, Adorco denied his allegations contained in his affidavit dated Aug. 4, 2016 and June 21, 2017 in which he admitted being involved in illegal drugs and linking Espinosa and other people to it. He said he only signed the affidavit for fear of his life.

Adorco added that he submitted a counter-affidavit dated Aug. 11, 2020 to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Aug. 28, 2020 in which he denied any involvement in illegal drugs and linking Espinosa and other people.

In the 2020 affidavit, he stated that he does not know De Lima.

“Hindi ko po kilala sina Lovely Impal, Peter Co, Peter Lim at Secretary Leila De Lima. Hindi ko po sila nakita at nakausap kahit minsan. (I don’t know Lovely Impal, Peter Co, Peter Lim and Secretary Leila De Lima. I have not seen them and talked to them even once),” he said.

He added, “‘Yong picture po ni Kerwin Espinosa at ni Hazel Mago kasama si Secretary Leila De Lima ay nakuha po ‘yon galing sa Facebook at ibinigay lamang sa akin ng isang pulis noong ginawa ang aking affidavit. Wala po akong personal na kaalaman tungkol sa sinasabing pagkikita raw ni Kerwin at ni Secretary De Lima sa Baguio City (I got the photo of Kerwin Espinosa and Hazel Mago together with Secretary Leila De Lima from Facebook and was only given to me by a police officer when I made my affidavit. I have no personal knowledge about the alleged meeting of Kerwin and Secretary De Lima in Baguio City).”

Adorco is not a witness in any of the cases filed by the DOJ against De Lima. But the senator’s camp said his affidavit proves that the cases against De Lima were concocted.

“Hinde testigo si Adorco sa kaso ni Sen. De Lima. Pero sa tingin namin sumasalamin ito sa matagal naming sinasabi na ang mga kaso ni Sen. de lima ay pawang gawa gawa lamang ng mga taong tinakot at ginipit para gumawa ng kasinungalingan at palabasin na si Sen. De Lima ay involved sa bentahan ng illegal na droga. (Adorco is not a witness in the case of Sen. De Lima. But we see that this mirrors what we have been saying that the cases of Sen. De Lima are mere concoctions of people who were intimidated and pressured to make lies and to show that Sen. De Lima is involved in the trade of illegal drugs),” said Filibon Tacardon, De Lima’s legal counsel.

He added, “Lumalabas na ang tutuo kaya patuloy na rin ang panawagan namin sa DOJ muling rebisahin ang mga kasong isinampa nila laban kay Sen. De Lima at tuluyan ng ibasura ito at palayain na ang mahal nating senador. (The true is coming out that is why we continue our call on the DOJ to review the cases filed against Sen. De Lima and eventually dismiss it and release our beloved senator).”

Last month, Espinosa retracted his statements against De Lima and said he had no dealings with her and he did not give her any money.

Related Tags

DOJ Kerwin Espinosa Marcelo Adorco Muntinlupa Leila de Lima
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