The Philippine Star

Leila: I have no love life now

- By PAOLO ROMERO With Evelyn Macairan

Sen. Leila de Lima yesterday took offense at insinuatio­ns about her amorous relationsh­ip with her aides, stressing that she does not have a love life at the moment.

At the continuati­on of the House inquiry into the drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison, convict Jaybee Sebastian claimed that he heard rumors that a certain “Makoy” or Mc- Coy was the new boyfriend of De Lima.

“For the record, I don’t have a lover now. I don’t have a boyfriend now. I wish I had one so that he will take care of me. I am at my lowest moments because of what’s happening to me and what’s being done to me,” De Lima said.

She said she expects allegation­s that all her former security aides became her boyfriends.

De Lima was unperturbe­d by the latest revelation­s at the House inquiry, saying Sebastian was pressured to testify against her.

She said she was not closely monitoring the proceeding­s as the “lies” being made at the hearings might harm her health.

“Apparently and obviously, Jaybee Sebastian has been pushed to the wall. Apparently and obviously, he could no longer bear the pressure,” De Lima told reporters.

She said an “A-1” source told her that Sebastian’s wife had repeatedly pleaded with him to testify against her as “it is only De Lima that they are after and she will understand.”

De Lima added she was not surprised that her former bodyguard, Joenel Sanchez, was also experienci­ng pressure to tag her as a protector of drug lords.

Crying time

De Lima, however, admitted that unlike before, she is now unable to hide her emotions, being in the eye of controvers­y.

In another interview at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippine­s’ chapel where she attended a mass in commemorat­ion of World Day Against Death Penalty, De Lima shed tears, lamenting the character assassinat­ion being made against her.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Philippines