Presidente Duterte Lashes Out at De Lima Anew

“De Lima you are finished. Tapos ka na…sunod na election”.

These were the words uttered by President Rodrigo Duterte in a press briefing in Davao on Thursday.

The President was apparently referring to Senator Leila de Lima’s political career that might just end now that he had exposed her alleged immorality and linked her and her alleged driver and lover to the illegal drug trade inside the National Penitentiary.

The President said De Lima is undergoing a nightmare now, embroiled in a controversy in her personal life.

The verbal tussle between the President and the Senator ignited even before the Senate chaired by De Lima herself, has launched a committee hearing this week on possible human rights violations committed by law enforcers in connection with the deaths of suspected drug dealers and users in the course of the government’s anti-drug operations.

The President lambasted De Lima for repeatedly conducting a probe on him about the possible human rights violation he might have committed even while he was still Mayor of Davao. Earlier, the President has denied any involvement in the extrajudicial killings of the suspected drug dealers and users and criminal elements.

“But when she (De Lima) came for an investigation during (my) time as the mayor, she in fact could have violated the rule of law… try to pull out a prisoner from the prison cell (by the person of Jonathan Balo), without the benefit of a court order,” the President said.

PRRD said that she has tapes to show of the Senator’s involvement.

“Well, I will, you know. De Lima is undergoing a nightmare now. Tama na ‘yun para sa akin. Alam mo, I still have the tapes and you guys were there.”

The President said that he has the tapes which would also link De Lima with the DDS (referring to the Davao Death Squad vigilante group), and he will prove it. (PNA) RMA/PND/EDS