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| Opposition Senator Leila De Lima, center, is escorted by supporters making a "stop" gesture after filing a petition in the Philippine Supreme Court stopping President Rodrigo Duterte "from securing private details about her personal life and using them to degrade her dignity as a human being, a woman and a senator" Monday, Nov. 7, 2016 in Manila, Philippines. Senator De Lima claimed that the verbal attacks and threats leveled against her by the President are not covered by presidential immunity from suit because they are not the official acts of a President. AP/Bullit Marquez | By Patricia Lourdes Viray via Philstar |
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang dismissed the petition that Sen. Leila de Lima filed against President Rodrigo Duterte before the Supreme Court, claiming that the senator is attempting to drown the accusations against her.
The senator has filed a writ of habeas data petition against Duterte over his harassment and threats against her.
"Senator Leila de Lima is apparently playing the gender card as a shield against mounting evidence of her ties with high-profile drug lords and the proliferation of drug trade in the Bilibid," Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.
De Lima asked the Supreme Court to stop the government from using personal information, such as her alleged extramarital affair, against her.
The senator stressed that the president has repeatedly thrown crude remarks against her and has threatened to "destroy her in public."
De Lima also claimed that Duterte has subjected her to such revolting remarks that discriminate against her gender and constitute psychological violence.
"By portraying herself as a victim she seeks to distance herself from the intimate relationships which were also intertwined with drug trafficking while she was DOJ (Department of Justice) secretary," Abella said.
Meanwhile, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said that De Lima's complaint does not have a basis.
"The complaint is she's being harassed. She's not being harassed.... Moreover, the president is immune from suit but even if he is not, the petition has no basis in fact nor in law," Panelo said in an interview among members of the press.
Lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno, De Lima's primary legal counsel, said Duterte cannot use his immunity as a shield from unlawful acts.
The senator has filed a writ of habeas data petition against Duterte over his harassment and threats against her.
"Senator Leila de Lima is apparently playing the gender card as a shield against mounting evidence of her ties with high-profile drug lords and the proliferation of drug trade in the Bilibid," Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.
De Lima asked the Supreme Court to stop the government from using personal information, such as her alleged extramarital affair, against her.
The senator stressed that the president has repeatedly thrown crude remarks against her and has threatened to "destroy her in public."
De Lima also claimed that Duterte has subjected her to such revolting remarks that discriminate against her gender and constitute psychological violence.
"By portraying herself as a victim she seeks to distance herself from the intimate relationships which were also intertwined with drug trafficking while she was DOJ (Department of Justice) secretary," Abella said.
Meanwhile, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said that De Lima's complaint does not have a basis.
"The complaint is she's being harassed. She's not being harassed.... Moreover, the president is immune from suit but even if he is not, the petition has no basis in fact nor in law," Panelo said in an interview among members of the press.
Lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno, De Lima's primary legal counsel, said Duterte cannot use his immunity as a shield from unlawful acts.
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