Push Admin

De Lima admission of affair boosts drug charges: DOJ

Article (news)

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/nation/10/25/ronnie-dayan-102516.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Senator Leila de Lima with her former driver, Ronnie Dayan</div></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Senator Leila de Lima&#x27;s admission that she had a romantic relationship with her former security aide, Ronnie Dayan, bolsters allegations that she has ties with the Bilibid drug trade, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Tuesday.</p><p>De Lima is facing multiple charges for allegedly receiving millions of pesos in drug payoffs from convicted crime kingpins when she was still Justice secretary. Tagged in the complaints is Dayan, whom President Duterte earlier dubbed as the senator&#x27;s bagman.</p><p>De Lima admitted Monday that she had been in a relationship with Dayan for a few years and that they broke up before she ran for the Senate.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/14/16/de-lima-admits-affair-with-ex-driver">De Lima admits affair with ex-driver </a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RD1gINmmwEs" width="560"></iframe></figure><p>Speaking to radio DZMM, Aguirre said De Lima&#x27;s admission corroborates her alleged drug ties and refutes her earlier accusation that the government is merely fabricating stories against her.</p><p>&quot;Napakalaking epekto niyan [sa kaso]. Alam mo kung bakit? Sapagkat kapag tatanungin mo si Senator De Lima tungkol sa mga akusasyon sa kanya ng mga apat na kaso sa Department of Justice, palaging sinasabi niya na ako ang nagma-manufacture ng mga ebidensya against her. Samantalang wala naman akong pakialam sa pagfa-file nun sapagkat kami, ang ginagawa lang namin ay imbestigahan,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Ngayon, inamin na niya so iyung probability na talagang si Dayan ay isa sa mga bagman niya o taga-kolekta niya ng drug money para sa kanyang kapakanan at para sa kanyang eleksyon ay napakalaki na.&quot;</p><p>(That has a significant effect on the case because when you ask Senator De Lima about the four cases filed against her before the DOJ, she would always say that I was the one who manufactured evidence against. But I have no hand in the filing of the case because our job is to investigate.)</p><p>(She has admitted the relationship so the probability that Dayan was really her bagman or collector of drug money has increased.)</p><p>Since the controversy erupted, Dayan has not been seen in his <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/27/16/ronnie-dayan-still-in-ph-may-be-hiding-near-pangasinan"><strong>residence in Urbiztondo, Pangasinan</strong></a>.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/27/16/ronnie-dayan-still-in-ph-may-be-hiding-near-pangasinan">&#x27;Ronnie Dayan still in PH, may be hiding near Pangasinan&#x27;</a></li></ul><p>De Lima has repeatedly denied the allegation that she is receiving drug money, saying the charges are the administration&#x27;s payback for her vocal opposition to its brutal war on drugs.</p><p>The senator launched last week a &quot;legal offensive&quot; against the alleged smear campaign against her by slapping Duterte with a petition for habeas data, a legal remedy to secure information related to a person whose life or liberty is at risk.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/07/16/de-lima-seeks-supreme-court-help-against-duterte">De Lima seeks Supreme Court help against Duterte</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1461730" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure>

<p>AFFAIR CONFIRMS DRUG TIES? Senator Leila de Lima's statement that she had a romantic relationship with her former security aide, Ronnie Dayan, bolsters allegations that she has ties with the Bilibid drug trade, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Tuesday.</p>

AFFAIR CONFIRMS DRUG TIES? Senator Leila de Lima's statement that she had a romantic relationship with her former security aide, Ronnie Dayan, bolsters allegations that she has ties with the Bilibid drug trade, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Tuesday.

De Lima admission of affair boosts drug charges: DOJ

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

News

De Lima admission of affair boosts drug charges: DOJ

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 15, 2016 08:33 AM PHT

|

Updated Nov 15, 2016 12:56 PM PHT

Read More:

DZMM

drugs

Bilibid drugs

Leila de Lima

Ronnie Dayan

Vitaliano Aguirre

Rodrigo Duterte

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.