‘Our love was like Signal No. 5’

They became lovers within two months of meeting each other, starting at “Signal No. 1” and then escalating through the years to a passionate “Signal No. 5” before the heat dissipated.

The former driver-bodyguard of Sen. Leila de Lima drew laughter yesterday at the House of Representatives as he disclosed on questioning that he loved her dearly but this was not reciprocated.

“Yung pag-ibig ko na wagas ay hindi niya sinuklian ng wagas din na pag-ibig (My true love

was not reciprocated with true love),” Dayan replied to the questions of Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro during the resumption of the hearing of the House justice committee on the proliferation of illegal drugs at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.

Castro also asked Dayan if his love would not make him betray De Lima.

Dayan said it depends, if the love is not reciprocated and for the law and the truth he might forsake De Lima.

He said that at first he thought that De Lima’s love was true.

Dayan bared that he once slapped De Lima lightly when he found out about her relationship with another security aide, Warren Cristobal, a motorcycle escort of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

“Nagawa ko po yun sir dahil

sa pagmamahal ko sa kanya (I did that because of my love for her),” Dayan said.

Feeling like a spurned lover, he slapped her out of jealousy.

“Nasampal ko siya ng bahagya at sinabi ko sa kanya: uubusin mo yata kami lahat dito sa security mo (I slapped her lightly and told her you might go through all your security men),” Dayan told members of the House committee on justice.

Reading from his sworn affidavit, Dayan said it was in late 2014 when his romance with De Lima started to unravel.

Now age 44, he compared the affair to typhoon warning signals, reaching a peak of “signal number five” (super typhoon).

The relationship, however, started to wane when he confirmed rumors that De Lima was falling for Cristobal, who is in his mid-30s.

De Lima even gave Cristobal

a special STI .40 caliber pistol reportedly worth at least P150,000.

“Iyung baril na iyan, ako pa po ang bumili (I was the one who bought the gun),” he said upon questioning of House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas of Laoag City.

“Mas guwapo po sa akin iyun.

Matangkad po iyun (He is more handsome and taller than me),” Dayan said.

Dayan related the affair with De Lima started in 2007 when he was hired as driver-bodyguard in the law office of the then election lawyer until her stint as chair of the Commission on Human Rights in 2008. This was carried over to the justice department when she was appointed justice secretary.

He said he called her “Ma’m” or “Madam” in public. In private, he said they called each other “love.”

Without anyone asking, Dayan affirmed what convicted carjacker turned drug lord Jaybee Sebastian had said

in a previous hearing – De Lima also had an affair with Joenel Sanchez, her security aide from the Presidential Security Group, whom she called “Sweetie.” “Naramdaman ko rin iyung relasyon nila ni ( I also felt her relationship with) Joenel,” Dayan said.

Sanchez, in a previous House hearing, categorically denied the insinuations. “Hindi po totoo iyan (that’s not true),” he stressed, adding that in his 19 years in service his record remained untainted.

Dayan lamented that De Lima forced him to resign.

“Nakakahiya na kasi. Tama na ito para iwas gulo. Tapos ayun po pinirmahan ko na iyung (It’s already embarassing. This is to avoid trouble. Then I signed the) resignation letter ko na binigay niya sa akin (that she gave me),” Dayan said.

Dayan also claimed that another security aide identified as “McCoy” was also linked to De Lima after Sanchez resigned as her security aide.

Dayan also told the lawmakers that De Lima gave him P2 million that he spent for the “orange” house they shared in his hometown in Urbiztondo, Pangasinan.

She also provided the P120,000 to buy the lot for the house. He contributed his P800,000 savings for the house, he said.

Duterte fan

Dayan also claimed that he was a fan of then Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte when he was still a candidate in the presidential elections last May 9.

He said aside from supporting De Lima in her senatorial campaign, he also backed the local candidates of Duterte in Pangasinan.

Dayan said that De Lima once hit him on the head when she saw him wearing a Duterte baller during the campaign.

“Pak! Sinampal ako ni Ma’m De Lima. Tapos tinanong niya ako: bakit suot- suot mo iyan? Sinagot ko po siya, sabi ko idol ko. Mag- idol ka rin lang sira ulo pa (De Lima slapped me. She asked why I’m wearing the baller. I told her he is my idol. She said your idol is crazy),” said Dayan. He also recounted having defended his personal choice for president: “Walang basagan ng ( No breaking) trip!” to which the former justice secretary retorted: “Punyeta.”