MANILA – Former Senator Leila de Lima was offended with the punch gesture of former President Rodrigo Duterte towards her during the House of Representatives’ quad comm hearing on Wednesday.
According to de Lima, she was not aware of the action of Duterte until someone messaged her and sent her a video of the former Chief Executive’s gesture.
“I am offended,” de Lima said in an interview with Teleradyo Serbisyo on Thursday. “Hindi ko nakita until may dalawa o tatlo sa akin nag-message. Mayroon pa isa na nagpadala ng video mismo.”
“That was so unbecoming, that was offensive kasi wala na siyang any sense of decency, ang tawag diyan indecency. Wala naman ako ginagawa sa kanya tapos ganun ang reaction niya,” she added.
“Ang isa pang tawag diyan, kaduwagan, isa siyang duwag,” said De Lima, who was detained during the Duterte administration due to illegal drug trade allegations.
Duterte’s gesture came after de Lima’s manifestation about his pronouncement of taking “full responsibility” for his anti-drug campaign, and his apparent refusal to say her name during the proceedings.
Meanwhile, de Lima also mentioned that Duterte’s statements during the House Quad Comm heading were inconsistent.
De Lima said that while Duterte dared the International Criminal Court to rush its separate investigation into the alleged crimes against humanity in the drug crackdown, he also asserted that the ICC had no jurisdiction over the campaign.
“Talagang mapapansin mo yung mga inconsistencies. Napansin ko nga, on one hand sinabi niya, hinihintay na lang yung ICC, napakabagal daw, puwede dumating na ngayong araw… But then after that, maya-maya ang sinabi naman niya, hindi niya kinikilala o walang jurisdiction ang ICC,” de Lima said.
“Sasabihin niya ‘I take full and complete responsibility’, and yet, sa kabilang banda, meron din siyang mga statements na ‘yang mga pulis na ‘yan mali yung mga ginawa, yung mga pagpatay ng mga kung sino-sino, mga inosente,” she added./PN
