September 15, 2016. During the Senate Justice committee hearing led by Senator Leila De Lima, Edgar Matobato, a self-confessed assassin in Davao City, testified that then-Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte ordered a series of summary executions including one which involved an extraordinary flair - feeding a body to a crocodile.
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Duterte's running mate during the presidential elections, was quick to cross examine Matobato and noticed several inconsistencies in his story.
Because of these inconsistencies, Senator Panfilo Lacson invoked the legal principle of falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus (false in one, false in everything).
September 19, 2016. Senator Cayetano delivered his privilege speech, criticizing De Lima for lack of objectivity in the Senate justice committee's probe. She later walked-out of the hall, just minutes before Cayetano ended his speech.
Cayetano's speech was just round one. Soon after his speech came to an end, Senator Manny Pacquiao delivered the knock-out punch, asking the Senate leadership to declare the position of De Lima at the Senate committee on justice vacant. A move that resulted to her ouster from the chairmanship.
September 20, 2016. The congressional hearing on the Bilibid drug trade implicated De Lima, as well as top BuCor (Bureau of Corrections) officials. Herbert Colangco, one of the two drug lords already behind bars but are still directing operations of their crime groups, said millions of pesos were delivered to De Lima as pay-offs and as contributions for her then-senatorial campaign. This was during the time the New Bilibid Prison was under her watch as secretary of justice.
The legislative probe also implicated De Lima's staff, Jonel Sanchez and her driver, Ronnie Dayan as supposed bagmen for her drug money; and another Bilibid convict, Jaybee Sebastian, whom Colangco said was the point-man of De Lima inside the NBP. Dayan was earlier reported to be De Lima's lover and bodyguard. Though this report is still unverified, the driver supposedly amassed enough wealth to put up big houses in his hometown in Urbiztondo, Pangasinan.
September 21, 2016. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre had earlier said they can already file a complaint against De Lima for violations of the Dangerous Drugs Act and Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act based on the affidavits of high profile inmates (Herbert Colangco and Noel Martinez) who have come forward and testified against De Lima. The complaint could undergo a preliminary criminal investigation from the Department of Justice.
This day also marked the appearance of a banner headline from Manila Standard which said, "WITNESSES FINGER LEILA," (see photo above) which to some, has a malicious connotation, probably due to De Lima's alleged love escapades.
September 22, 2016. During a statement, De Lima lamented her cellular phone being made public during the congressional hearing and said she received almost 2,000 hate messages as of 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
"I have been bombarded by text messages, numbering almost 2000, and phone calls from unknown persons, threatening me, harassing me, calling me the vilest of names," De Lima said.
"They have basically destroyed my right to privacy and security in my communications and in my abode. I am now literally a persecuted person displaced from my home. Worse, they have turned people into weapons of destruction," De Lima added.
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