Press Release
August 19, 2016

Ambush Interview of Senator Leila M. de Lima

De Lima: Okay, of course you're curious bakit ganyan ang naglalabasan since yesterday, and today. Now, baka magpatawag ulit ako ng press con ha. Before Monday, although tentative pa lang yan. And for purposes of today itong (interview) niyo sa akin, just to oblige you, ang nakikita ko po kasi ngayon, parang hindi na alam ng tao ngayon alin ang totoo dyan, alin ang hindi. Totoo ba yan, kasinungalingan ba yan.

This is what I can say at this point. Okay, may kaunting totoo dyan, pero karamihan dyan, exaggerations, distortions and lies. And foremost of the lies, is yung sinasabing na may nangongolekta para sa akin sa Bilibid. That is an absolute lie.

Now, magtatanong kayo, bakit hindi nabanggit yan kahapon, matagal ko na ho dinedeny yan. Madalas ko na ho dinedeny yan sa mga various interviews, because remember these are the insinuations na protektor ako, coddler ako ng drug lords or drug convicts dahil nakikinabang ako. I'm on their payroll, sinasabi nila. Or nagcontribute sila sa campaign funds ko.

But, ilang beses ko na yan dine-deny. So, I'm denying it again. (That's) an absolute lie; that's completely false! I would never do that because I've never betrayed my oath as a public servant and I don't intend to betray my oath as a public servant, lalo na may mandato ako sa taumbayan.

So that's what I can tell you right now. You know, bakit completely silent ako. It's very difficult for me kasi, I don't want to be publicly engaging na paisa-isa ko i-explain yan, etcetera.

But this what I can tell you. We've seen some snippets of facts, snippets of truths, but the bulk of it are distortions, exaggerations, and lies.

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