De Lima’s vague explanations on presidential exposé

Will neophyte Sen. Leila de Lima eventually emerge as the figurehead of a token opposition to the administration of President Duterte?

This was the question being asked last week by Metro Manila coffeeshop habitués after the President alleged that De Lima had a romantic affair with her driver who had collected money from drug sources for campaign purposes.

As expected, De Lima, sought to deny the allegations, saying they were “so foul” and she didn’t want to “dignify” them. “I’m surprised why the President has to resort to that. It’s plain and simple character assassination,” she said.

With all due respect to the senator, her explanation on the President’s expose is vague. She miserably failed to give an honest and direct answer to a simple question: did she have any romantic relationship with her driver, as alleged by the President?

The public is awaiting her response.

Observers believe the President got tired of De Lima’s constant criticism against his administration. De Lima said she is prepared to start an investigation of the alleged extrajudicial killings related to the administration’s war against illegal drugs.

The speculation was further fueled by De Lima’s statement that the President may be charged before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity.

“ I am not threatening the President, I am merely stating a fact,” De Lima told the media.

Interestingly, in the Philippines, when one says he or she “is not making a threat,” that is a threat.

Now, one wonders if the media positioning of the former justice secretary is intended to fashion her into a voice of the country’s political opposition.

In fairness to De Lima, among the loyal Liberals, she is in the best position to assume that role.

Vice President Leni Robredo appears to be in an awkward position to be the opposition figurehead. She has publicly called for and declared support for President Duterte. In the few instances that she had voiced concern over supposed “extrajudicial killings,” hers was a muffled voice. Her position was calculated; her political punch pulled.

Senatorial race topnotcher and former Senate President Franklin Drilon does not appear to be predisposed to take on that role, as well. He occasionally takes potshots at public statements made by Presidential Legal Counsel Sam Panelo.

The potshots, however, sound more like a respectful ribbing by a fraternity brother to another. Drilon and Panelo are both members of the powerful Sigma Rho Fraternity of the University of the Philippines.

So, it is only De Lima who appears bent on creating a howl against the present administration.  The inquiry by the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights that De Lima chairs begins today, August 22.

We wish De Lima success in this probe.

We hope, however, that the Senate investigation would not serve to dishearten our law enforcers and to damage their resolve to carry out the fight against illegal drugs. The campaign has gone a long way. For once, the country is seeing what decisive national leadership looks like. It would be unfortunate if the Senate should end up killing this initiative.

We also hope that De Lima would be as ferocious against illegal drugs syndicates as she is with the President and PNP Chief Rolando Dela Rosa. After all, illegal drugs are among the biggest scourges in Philippine society. De Lima has said much to vilify the President and the PNP chief. It is time she says something against the illegal drugs menace.

By the way, did she wage any fight against illegal drug syndicates during her term as justice secretary?

We do not remember the Department of Justice waging that kind of war during De Lima’s watch. We believe she was more concerned with the campaign against human trafficking.

That campaign was a crowning glory of the Aquino administration, thanks to the leadership of former Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) head, Justice Undersecretary Jose Vicente Salazar.

Salazar now heads the Energy Regulatory Commission.

The country’s campaign against human trafficking earned the recognition of the world, including that of the United States. It placed the Philippines in the Tier One category, notches higher than where we languished for many years.

Why didn’t De Lima tap all the resources under her to combat the illegal drugs menace while at the helm of the DoJ?

Your guess is as good as ours.