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De Lima former bodyguard-driver says she ordered him to collect money alleged drug trafficker
The former driver-bodyguard of Senator Leila de Lima said she ordered him to contact suspected drug trafficker Roland "Kerwin" Espinosa for money which she used in her campaign for the senate.
Dayan backed the testimony of Espinosa he received P8 million in cash on behalf of the former justice secretary which the latter allegedly utilized for the 2016 electoral campaign.
"Senator de Lima instructed me. She said we needed funds. That what she told me," Dayan said in Monday’s hearing of the Senate committees on public order and dangerous drugs and justice committee and human rights.
Dayan claimed he was unaware the money was from illegal drugs and that he was only instructed to call someone which later turned out to be Espinosa.
"Secretary de Lima gave me Kerwin's cellphone number which I then called," said Dayan
Dayan is de Lima's driver, former lover and alleged bagman. He was captured by the police in La Union last month based on an arrest warrant from the House of Representatives for failure to attend its hearings.
Espinosa earlier told the Senate he gave P8 million he gave in tranches on four occasions, including one meeting in Burnharm Park , Baguio City .
Senators pointed out inconsistencies between statements of Espinosa and Dayan. In Dayan’s case, Dayan was cited under contempt and placed under Senate custody by public order and dangerous drugs committee chairman Senator Panfilo Lacson.
Lacson pointed out the difference on the years as Dayan said his meetings with Espinosa happened in 2014 while the suspected drug lord recollection is that it all happened in 2015.
Lacson said Espinosa's earlier statement it was Albuera municipal police head Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido who called him sometime August last year, saying de Lima's driver/bodyguard would contact him.
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV found this strange as Espinosa and Espenido are at loggerheads.
"Something is wrong with your script," said Trillanes, alluding the allegations against de Lima are fabricated.
Espinosa claimed while his father and the police official were enemies in 1999,
they have patched up their differences as they supported the same candidate in 2010.
"He was even sending me text messages of proverbs from the Bible," said Espenido.
Espinosa denied all is well between him and the alleged drug lord. Asked about the Bible excerpts, he told senators he usually sends these types of text messages to everyone.
On facilitating the call between Dayan and Espinosa, he insists it's impossible as he never met Dayan before Monday's hearing. Emmanuel Tupas/DMS
