De Lima: I did not get a single centavo from Kerwin Espinosa

Senator Leila de Lima on Tuesday denied allegations of supposedly receiving P8 million from alleged Eastern Visayas drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, saying the claim was part of the Duterte administration’s “grand plan” to link her to illegal drug operations. 

In an interview, De Lima said she never received any amount from Kerwin, nor has she met him and his late father, Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa. 

“I’m telling you, I have not received a single centavo from Kerwin Espinosa, whether directly or indirectly, in any instance,” De Lima said. 

Senator Manny Pacquiao earlier disclosed that according to Kerwin, De Lima received P8 million from the alleged drug lord. Pacquiao met with Kerwin following the latter's return in Manila last week.

But De Lima insists that it is “no brainer” that she will be implicated by Kerwin. 

“No brainer na yan. Huwag na tayong maglokohan. Talaga naman expected na yan na ituturo na naman ako katulad nung mga naging witness sa House inquiry,” she said, referring to inmates who accused her of receiving payoffs from drug lords inside the national penitentiary. 

“Kasama yan sa grand plan nila na lahat na lang tungkol sa droga ay ikakabit nila kay Senator Leila de Lima kasi ang tawag sa’kin ng ating Pangulo ay ako daw ang leading narco-politician sa bansang ito,” De Lima said. 

She said the administration was bent on pinning her down to fulfill President Rodrigo Duterte’s pronouncements that she was involved in drug operations. 

‘Dayan link meant to embarrass me’

At the same time, De Lima said the supposed involvement of her former driver Ronnie Dayan was meant to embarrass her.

According to Pacquiao, Kerwin told him that he handed money to Dayan. He said there was an instance when Kerwin was told by Dayan to deliver money in Baguio City.

“Oh my goodness gracious, nili-link na naman niya kay Dayan. Tingnan niyo siguro yung supposedly affidavit ni Mayor Espinosa but they did ever [mention] Ronnie Dayan before? Ngayon na lang nila kinakabit na naman,” De Lima said.

De Lima had recently confirmed having a romantic affair with Dayan, which she said lasted for a “few years.”

De Lima said she never instructed any of her staff to meet with Kerwin.

“Unang una, hindi ko nga kilala yan so bakit ako mag-uutos na i-meet siya, kausapin siya para humingi ng pera eh in the first place eh hindi ko nga kilala,” she said.

No confrontation with Kerwin in Senate hearing

Meanwhile, De Lima said she has no intention of confronting Kerwin when he appears before the Senate public order committee Wednesday.

Kerwin is set to face the Senate investigation on the death of his father, Mayor Espinosa. The mayor was killed in an alleged shootout at the Baybay sub-provincial jail.

De Lima appealed to her colleagues to conduct themselves in a “professional manner.”

“Sana naman wag na nilang dagdagan yung kalabaryo ko, baka naman may iba dyan mag-i-isip na pagkakataon na naman para pahiyain ako, to make me very uncomfortable,” De Lima said.

“In the first place, it would be unparliamentary on their part to be insulting or offending a fellow member of the Senate,” she pointed out. — RSJ, GMA News