Ronnie Dayan, former bodyguard and alleged drug money bagman of Senator Leila de Lima, will testify at next Monday’s Senate inquiry into the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., Senator Panfilo Lacson confirmed on Monday, November 28.
Lacson, chair of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, earlier expressed his desire to invite Dayan to compare his testimony with that of suspected Eastern Visayan drug lord Kerwin Espinosa who, like Dayan, claimed that De Lima received money in exchange for protection.
Aside from Dayan, Lacson said they also invited for the hearing the policemen named by Espinosa as having received kickbacks, including former Eastern Visayas police regional director Chief Supt. Asher Dolina and retired police general and now Daanbantayan, Cebu mayor Vicente Loot.
“…Nakikiusap si General Dolina kung pwedeng pakinggan ang side niya (General Dolina pleaded that we hear his side). So we’ll invite him (Dayan). We’re also thinking of inviting General Loot,” Lacson said.
Lacson said he wanted clarifications on how Dayan allegedly introduced Espinosa to Senator De Lima and specific dates.
He reiterated his doubts on Espinosa’s testimony that Chief Insp. Jovie Espenido introduced him to Dayan and De Lima since Espenido had previously denied it.
No fanfare
Lacson said it would be up to De Lima to to attend the Senate inquiry.
The senator also assured that the Senate would stick to an “issues-based” inquiry and not delve into the personal affairs of people concerned.
“Pero ‘di aabot sa anumang climax, ‘di kami aabot sa ganoon (But we won’t allow it to reach any form of climax, we won’t go that far),” he added.
De Lima earlier described Dayan’s claim that she benefited from the illegal drug trade as “a shame” campaign, noting that those she once trusted were manipulated into “twisting the truth” for their benefit.
Congressmen, meanwhile, in a hearing at the House of Representatives delved into the Dayan-De Lima affair which, according to Dayan, lasted for seven years.
De Lima previously admitted to having had an affair with Dayan, but stressed that admission of their past relationship did not constitute proof of her culpability in the illegal drug trade.
She and fellow female senators Risa Hontiveros and Grace Poe also slammed how the congressmen could make a fanfare out of her personal life.
The post Lacson: Ronnie Dayan to Face Senate Inquiry Next Week appeared first on Manila Bulletin.
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