Jinggoy asks De Lima: Why didn’t you file a case vs. Duterte?

Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Monday asked former senator and Justice secretary Leila de Lima why she did not file a case against former President Rodrigo Duterte when he was still the mayor of Davao City in connection to the existence of the so-called Davao Death Squad. 

“Bakit hindi kayo nag-file ng mga kaso kung talagang naniniwala po kayo na mayroon po talagang death squad, why did you not file cases immediately when he was still just a mayor?” Estrada asked as the Senate looked into the controversial anti-illegal drug campaign during the Duterte administration. 

(Why did you not file cases against him when he was still a mayor if you really believe that such death squad really exists?) 

But De Lima, who carried out the investigation on the alleged vigilante-style killings against criminals in Davao City, said that witnesses were not yet ready to testify at that time. 

“Yung mga pwede talagang maging mga witnesses ay hindi pa willing, takot pa mag-testify against the former mayor,” she said. 

(Our possible witnesses at that time were not yet willing to testify out of fear.) 

But Estrada further pressed De Lima as she had “all the power” as Justice secretary during the Aquino administration. 

“Lahat ng mga government agencies were under your disposal. You had the ear of the President, bakit hindi kayo nag-file ng kaso kay Mayor Duterte?” the senator asked again. 

(All the government agencies were under your disposal. You had the ear of the President, but why did you not still file a case against Mayor Duterte?) 

In response, De Lima also pointed out that investigations then did not produce any results.

“Because at that time wala na nga hong nagiging resulta ng mga nagiging investigation din,” she said. 

(Because at the time our investigations were not producing any results.) 

“At that time, the relevant, real evidence, testimonial evidence, wala pa po sa aking disposal. Though I did try, 'yung sinabi ko kanina na, na ni-refer ko na muna sa NBI. Kaya lang ang naging report, binalik nila sa akin. They were trying, pero nahihirapan din sila i-access 'yung mga witnesses,” De Lima added. 

(At that time, the relevant, real, testimonial evidence was not at my disposal. Though I did try when I referred the case to the NBI. But they just returned it to me. They were trying, but they also had a hard time getting the witnesses.) 

When Duterte succeeded Nonoy Aquino as the country’s president, De Lima became one of Duterte’s staunchest critics and foe. 

De Lima ran for Senate and won in 2016 but was arrested in 2017 after she was accused of involvement in the proliferation of illegal drugs in the National Bilibid Prison when she was the Justice chief. She believes her arrest was part of Duterte’s vendetta.

The cases filed against De Lima have been dismissed.

TIMELINE: De Lima’s road to vindication

Former police officer Royina Garma earlier testified the existence of the Davao Death Squad. —AOL, GMA Integrated News