Benedict Maravilla

Former Senator and human rights advocate Leila de Lima claimed Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to be one of the masterminds of orchestrating drug-related cases against her.

Photo Courtesy of Inquirer.net/Rappler.

In a social media post on October 11, de Lima backed a news release about self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa accusing dela Rosa of pressuring him to testify against the former senator.

“Sa wakas napangalanan na ang isa sa mga mastermind sa paggawa ng ebidensya na walang iba kung hindi si dating PNP Chief Bato Dela Rosa,” de Lima said.

She affirmed that Kerwin Espinosa had just been forced to bring her name with him in the drug-related cases back in 2016, in favor of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Matagal na nating alam na napilitan lamang si Kerwin Espinosa na idawit ako sa ilegal na droga dahil sa kagustuhan ni Duterte,” the former senator wrote.

De Lima called out dela Rosa to face the consequences of the lies that were fabricated to imprison her. 

“Kailangan na ngayong harapin ni Bato ang pagtutuos ng katotohanan sa mga kasinungalingang ginawa ng gobyernong Duterte laban sa akin,” she said.

De Lima’s statement followed after Espinosa told the House Quad Committee during an investigation on war on drugs related deaths under the Duterte administration about the deal that he and dela Rosa had agreed upon before.

In 2016, Espinosa attested de Lima to be involved in illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison during her time as Justice Secretary; he revoked his statements against the former senator in 2022, saying that he was just pressured by the police.