Leila de Lima is sitting at a square table sharing a meal with some of her political allies in a meeting room in a Manila hotel. Two young male aides stand guard outside the room; they ask that her hotel not be named. Since September 20, when her address and cellphone number were read out at a congressional hearing, de Lima, 57, has moved between the homes of friends and relatives. She has received death threats and is now too afraid to spend the night at her own house, where she lives alone.
‘Look at the way she slurped’: Duterte offers to give copy of De Lima’s purported sex tape
Leila de Lima despite protests from women lawmakers and apparently also from the public. Rey Umali of Oriental Mindoro made the statement even as at least 40 lawmakers, including males, protested the showing of the alleged sex tape in a congressional probe of links of de Lima, a former Justice secretary, on the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prisons NBP in Muntinlupa City Metro Manila. President Rodrigo Duterte has accused de Lima of receiving drug money from NBP inmates thru Dayan but he never presented documentation. The prisoners who accused de Lima of receiving payola from them, on the other hand, testified during the House justice panel probe that the senator got the payoffs from their fellow inmate, Jaybee Sebastian. As committee chairman, my role is to conduct orderly proceedings, so we would probably divide the House. I will have to give way to the body to make the decision.
De Lima 'revolted' by discussion of alleged sex video
Leila De Lima said she is revolted by the discussion of her alleged sex video at the House of Representatives. Her statement follows the testimony of former aide Jonel Sanchez at the House of Representatives on Thursday. Related: House gives ex-De Lima aide 24 hours to explain absence.
Help us continue to fight human rights abuses. Please give now to support our work. Click to expand Image Philippine Senator Leila de Lima, who is detained on drug charges, gestures a "Laban" Fight sign inside a local court where she faces an obstruction of justice complaint in Quezon city, metro Manila, Philippines on March 13, February 24, , will mark one year since Philippine authorities arrested and detained de Lima on baseless drug charges. Phelim Kine.