Push Admin

De Lima's affair strengthens disbarment case: IBP exec

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9U4ARgKMlMs?rel=0&amp;showinfo=0" width="560"></iframe></figure>MANILA - Senator Leila de Lima&#x27;s admission that she had an affair with her former security aide, Ronnie Dayan, strengthens the disbarment case against her, the Integrated Bar Of The Philippines (IBP) said Thursday.IBP Director Ramon Esguerra said De Lima&#x27;s affair and its supposed implication of immorality were cited by her critics as one of the grounds of the case.&quot;Mayroong bagay iyun kasi ang isinumpa nung complainant doon sa Korte Suprema tungkol doon sa relationship na sinasabi nilang immoral o illicit with the former security aide and driver. Iyung pag-amin ay makakatulong sa kaso ng complainants,&quot; Esguerra told ABS-CBN&#x27;s Umagang Kay Ganda.De Lima, a well-known lawyer before she joined the government, admitted to having an affair with Dayan, who was accused by President Duterte of receiving drug money for her 2016 senatorial campaign.The senator has denied the allegations linking her to the narcotics trade. She said the allegations were masterminded by Duterte as payback for her criticism of the government&#x27;s brutal war on drugs.She also maintained that her personal life has <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/15/16/de-lima-my-personal-life-never-affected-work">never interfered</a> with her work.Esguerra, however, said the Supreme Court takes into account a lawyer&#x27;s personal affairs in tackling disbarment cases citing immorality.&quot;Ang morality kasi o immoral character ng isang abogado o abogada ay kabuuan ng buhay mo, hindi lang iyung professional life mo,&quot; he said.&quot;May mga nadi-disbar nga na iyung mga relationship nila ay noon pang mga estudyante sila at ang complaint ay nagkataon lang na isinampa noong abogado na sila.&quot;The SC, he added, may task the IBP with investigating the complaint against De Lima, but the final decision on her case would still rest on the court.&quot;Anuman ang kalabasan ng imbestigasyon at anuman ang maging resolusyon namin dito, ito ay recommendatory nature lang. Ang final, ultimate arbiter ng anumang disbarment case laban sa isang abogado ay ang ating Korte Suprema,&quot; he said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/15/16/aguirre-sees-de-lima-disbarred-due-to-immorality">Aguirre sees De Lima disbarred due to immorality</a></li></ul>De Lima&#x27;s disbarment case was filed by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, which also lodged separate <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/11/16/de-lima-7-others-charged-with-drug-trafficking">drug trafficking</a> charges against the lawmaker.De Lima said she will file counter charges against the people who are conniving to pin false allegations against her.

MANILA - Senator Leila de Lima's admission that she had an affair with her former security aide, Ronnie Dayan, strengthens the disbarment case against her, the Integrated Bar Of The Philippines (IBP) said Thursday.

MANILA - Senator Leila de Lima's admission that she had an affair with her former security aide, Ronnie Dayan, strengthens the disbarment case against her, the Integrated Bar Of The Philippines (IBP) said Thursday.