Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Ronnie Dayan, former driver-bodyguard and alleged bagman of Senator Leila de Lima, is under Senate custody after he was cited in contempt for allegedly lying on the witness stand Monday.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, said Dayan will stay within the Senate premises while he is held in contempt.
Dayan infuriated Senator Manny Pacquiao, who refused to believe he collected money for De Lima’s senatorial campaign only from self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa.
“Mamatay man ako dito ngayon, wala po akong ibang kinuhanan ng pera na ibinigay kay De Lima kundi si Espinosa lang,” Dayan said during the Senate probe on the Nov. 5 killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, which is being handled by Lacson’s committee.
[Translation: Even if I die now, I did not receive money from anyone else but Espinosa]
Several drug lords inside the New Bilibid Prison earlier told an inquiry by the House of Representatives that they gave millions of pesos to Dayan for De Lima in exchange for protection.
“I move that Mr. Dayan be [cited in] contempt kasi marami kang kasinungalingan [because of your many lies],” Pacquiao said.
He noted that Dayan lied when he initially said he did not have Espinosa’s phone number, but eventually admitted it was given to him by De Lima when the senator ordered him to get cold cash from Espinosa.
Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto made an amended motion for Dayan to be detained at Building 14 of the New Bilibid Prison, where high-profile convicts are held.
The senators did not object, although Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said if the Senate concludes Dayan is lying, then it also believes Espinosa is telling the truth.
Senators grilled Dayan and Espinosa over the inconsistencies in their testimonies, particulary on the year when their meetings took place.
Dayan said he received P8 million from Espinosa in several meetings in 2014, but Espinosa said these all happened in 2015.
But after being shown a 2015 Facebook post showing De Lima in Baguio City in the same black outfit she wore in her photo with Espinosa, Dayan finally agreed the meeting was in 2015.
Dayan repeatedly said he could not remember details clearly.
Lacson hit him for having a “very selective” memory.
“Kaya nga binibigyan natin ng pagkakataon para mahimasmasan, diyan na muna siya,” Lacson told reporters in an interview after the hearing.
[Translation: That’s why we gave him an opportunity to relax.]
Lacson said senators will discuss if Dayan should be detained in Bilibid.
“Pag nadala siya sa Building 14 kukuyugin naman siya dun, at baka paglabas niya dun e totooo na lahat yung sabihin niya,” Lacson said.
[Translation: If he is brought to Building 14, he might be beaten up. Maybe when he comes out, he will tell the truth.]
