Dispatch from Crame No. 616:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Statement on Senate's contempt citations vs lying witnesses during the Senate investigation into BuCor anomalies

10/5/19

Good to know that the Senate, acting firmly, has cited for contempt the likes of BuCor officials Benilda Bansil and Veronica Buño for lying in the proceedings before the Justice and Human Rights Committee, jointly with other Committees. They should have similarly dealt with Rafael Ragos and Jovencio Ablen for their own lies, as a replay of their appearance before the 2016 House Committee inquiry and the ongoing trial in my drug cases, about my alleged links to the Bilibid drug trade and alleged delivery to me of illicit money.

Senate must always exercise extra caution in accepting and presenting so-called resource persons like Bansil, Buño, Ragos and Ablen who are themselves involved in anomalies and are, quite plainly, "planted" witnesses to suit some sinister motives.

They're no different from the NBP inmates-witnesses who are brazenly mouthing false and scripted testimonies against me. These resource persons are easily swayed into perjuring themselves inorder to curry undue favors from the powers-that-be, like immunity, retention in employment and even monetary perks or reward. Sell their souls, if they must, to save their own filthy skin.

Ang dapat kasing tinatanong tungkol sa mga tunay na nangyayari sa BuCor/NBP ay yung mga matitinong opisyal at kawani sa BuCor, yung mga hindi sangkot sa anomalya at hindi magpapa-pressure na magsinungaling.

They should also ask decent and honest NBI officials and agents about Ragos and Ablen or what they have become. Remember that NBI itself objected, but to no avail, to DOJ's exclusion of Ragos from the Information to turn as state witness against me, an anomalous deal he struck with then Sec. Aguirre.

Ragos and Ablen were already presented as prosecution witnesses in one of the drug cases against me, and duly cross-examined by defense counsels, revealing cracks and falsities in their testimonies, thereby casting serious doubt on their credibility.

I don't know why certain colleagues of mine are still dealing with, and listening to Ragos, providing him further platform to spout lies and appear "heroic". Are they too naïve to be deluded by such a character and/or his handler/s?

Truth is too sacred to be sacrificed or trampled upon to serve some selfish personal or political agenda.

I take this moment in pushing for early passage of an enhanced anti-perjury bill, Senate Bill No. 373, which I refiled this 18th Congress.###

(Access the handwritten copy of Dispatch from Crame No. 616, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_616)