MANILA, Philippines – Senator Leila De Lima on Friday, September 23, called Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II “stupid” for apparently not seeing government’s inconsistent moves in its fight against illegal drugs.

De Lima was reacting to the House inquiries into her alleged role in the proliferation of illegal drugs in the New Bilibid Prison, the Philippines’ national penitentiary in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila.

She questioned why Aguirre was allowed to cross-examine the same witnesses, mostly drug convicts, that he brought to testify against her. (READ: Why is Aguirre allowed to question witnesses in House probe?)

“The House allows Aguirre to conduct the examination of his own witnesses, while in the Senate, Matobato is subjected to uninhibited, gruelling cross-examination, at times with misleading questions designed to confuse a Grade 1 dropout,” De Lima said in a text message to reporters.

Edgar Motabato is the self-confessed hitman of the Davao Death Squad who accused President Rodrigo Duterte of ordering killings when he was Davao City mayor. (READ: Cayetano, Pacquiao grill Matobato over conflicting claims)

It is ironic, De Lima said, that the Duterte administration is now partnering with drug lords in its drug war when it once accused them of plotting to kill the President.

“Kasi daw ang mga drug lord at criminal sa Bilibid ngayon ay kakampi na ng Pangulo sa kanyang giyera sa droga,” De Lima said. (Because now, drug lords and criminals inside Bilibid are allies of the President in his war against drugs.)

De Lima was earlier ousted as chairperson of the Senate committee on justice and human rights looking into the spate of extrajudicial killings, days after she first presented Matobato as witness.

Change of heart?

De Lima slammed Aguirre and called his situation “laughable,” as she pointed out the apparent flip-flopping of the Duterte administration in its campaign against illegal drugs.

“Napakalaki nilang mga tanga para hindi mapansin na nagkakabalubaluktot na ang kanilang mga sinasabi,” she said. (How stupid of them not to notice how skewed their statements are.)

She asked: If before the administration said drug lords were planning to kill the President, why are they partnering with them now?

“Ni hindi napapansin ni Aguirre kung gaano na katawa-tawa ang sitwasyon nila. Ang kakampi pala ng Pangulo sa kanyang Giyera sa Droga ay ang mga drug lords na minsan sinabi nilang nag-ambag ng isang bilyon para ipapatay siya,” she said. (Aguirre doesn’t notice how laughable their situation is. The allies of President now in his war against drugs are the drug lords, who, they once said. were pooling P1 billion to kill him.)

“Ano yun? (What’s that?) Change of heart?” De Lima asked.

De Lima is the subject of a House probe into the proliferation of illegal drugs in the national penitentiary during her stint as justice chief.

Convicts, criminals, and gang leaders have accused her of receiving drug money for her 2016 senatorial campaign. Duterte also accused her of being “immoral” for having a relationship with her supposed married driver.

De Lima has denied all accusations and claimed all evidence and testimonies against her are only fabricated, adding some witnesses were tortured or pressured to testify against her. – Rappler.com