SENATOR Leila de Lima now considers Ronnie Dayan, her former bodyguard and lover, as another accuser, but points to the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte as behind the turnaround.
“It appears that Ronnie Dayan has been successfully turned into another one of my accusers by this administration,” the former Justice secretary told reporters.
“Even as they portrayed Ronnie Dayan as the missing link to their drug conspiracies, his arrest and so-called admissions present an opportunity for me to put this issue to a close,” de Lima said.
The former Justice secretary dismissed Dayan’s accusations as “fiction stories of the underworld.” She vowed to face the charges in court.
Dayan, who was arrested by police Tuesday, admitted receiving money from alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa on behalf of de Lima.
The senator maintained that she did not know Espinosa and she never received money from him.
Dayan is set to face lawmakers today at the resumption of a congressional inquiry into the alleged proliferation of illegal drugs at the National Bilibid Prison.
The House of Representatives’ justice committee had issued a warrant for Dayan’s arrest after he ignored a summons and went into hiding.
Dayan was brought to the House Tuesday night after his arrest in La Union.
House Sergeant at Arms Roland Detabali said Wednesday Dayan was given access to television to watch the Senate inquiry.
Dayan was with his wife and daughter, Detabali said. There were guards inside and outside Dayan’s room.
“Our doctor here in Congress conducted a check-up because he still has bruises. We also let a barber in to give him a haircut for the hearing tomorrow (Thursday),” Detabali said.
On Tuesday, Dayan told reporters: “Paghahandaan ko ... bukas, magpapalakas tayo para masagot natin ang mga itatanong sa atin ng mga mambabatas natin [I will prepare … I will rest so that I can answer the queries of our lawmakers].”