Press Release
November 8, 2016

STATEMENT OF SEN. LEILA M. DE LIMA ON SECRETARY ERNESTO ABELLA'S COMMENT ON HER PETITION FOR WRIT OF HABEAS DATA

President Spokesperson Ernesto Abella is missing the whole point.

I have nothing to hide and much less do I have any cause to deny any alleged involvement with illegal drug trade or with any of its so-called drug lords that this administration has repeatedly and desperately insisted I have. The way our criminal justice system works - or is supposed to work - is that the burden of proving the guilt of a person belongs to the prosecution. Allegations unsubstantiated by any credible proof - meaning, other than the testimony of drug convicts and so-called "witnesses" with axes to grind and other personal interests in destroying me - cannot touch, much less destroy, my innocence.

Thus, when Secretary Abella presumes to tell me to first answer the allegations against me before I attempt to seek relief from the Supreme Court for the violations I have suffered, I have but the following advice for him.

First, perhaps he should, instead, display a better understanding of, and more regard for, the basic protections set forth in our Constitution upon which the workings of our Justice System is founded.

Second, I invite him to help elevate the discourse about the critical issues that are affecting our nation by first carefully reading the full text of my petition for writ of habeas data, taking the time to watch the video clips submitted as evidence, along with other attachments, before dismissing my case as "noise".

As for me, I stand by the strength of my legal arguments, and I'm confident that the Supreme Court would see the merits of my case. No one can deny the legitimate issues I have raised in my petition. They are adequately documented and supported by verifiable facts.

Secretary Abella should not worry how I play my cards. If fighting for my constitutional rights to privacy in life, liberty and security is playing the gender card, then I got aces up my sleeves!

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