MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Leila de Lima questioned on Thursday the matrix President Rodrigo Duterte presented which implicated her in the drug trade allegedly happening inside the New Bilibid Prison.
"Is this a joke? Was it a joke?" she said.
Like previous statements of the president, however, the senator said the recent allegation would also fail.
The matrix released early Thursday by Duterte showed seven people linked to the Bilibid narcotics trade with De Lima the highest ranking official in it. Others in it were De Lima's driver Ronie Dayan, Pangasinan Rep. Amado Espino Jr., former Justice Undersecretary Francisco "Toti" Baraan III, Pangasinan Provincial Administrator Rafael "Raffy" Baraan, retired Gen. Franklin Bucayo and Pangasinan Board Member Raul Sison.
RELATED: Duterte matrix tags De Lima, ex-Pangasinan guv in drug trade
This announcement was the latest in the string of accusations thrown by the president against the senator. The tirades intensified after De Lima filed a resolution to probe the rise in extrajudicial killings in the country.
The Commission on Human Rights has noted that the magnitude of cases of extrajudicial killings under the current administration was unprecedented since the rights body was established n 1987.
RELATED: CHR: Magnitude of extrajudicial killings in Duterte drug war unseen since 1987
'Waste of time'
De Lima said she is not surprised by the allegations, especially as it is from someone who has long professed to destroy her at all costs.
"De Lima is undergoing a nightmare now. Tama na yan para sa akin," Duterte earlier said in one of his press briefings.
"De lima you are finished, tapos ka na," he added.
The senator, however, said she is 100 percent sure of her innocence.
"Bahala na sila kung mayroon talagang tunay na ebidensya. Bahala na sila kung anong gawin nila sa ebidensya."
During a two-hour early morning press conference last Sunday, Duterte said he has no intention of filing a case against De Lima.
"Can I now go to court and file a case? No.... As president I got this information being a privilege as a president. But I'm not required to prove it in court, that is somebody else's business."
The senator added that the seemingly endless word war between her and the president is a "waste of time" when more pressing matters require her attention.
She said that today would be the last time she would talk about her alleged drug involvement as she wants to focus on her job at the Senate.
"Napapagod na po ako. Sabi ko nga sa inyo kahapon ayaw na nga ng pamilya ko at ng malalapit na kaibigan ko na magsalita pa ako tungkol dito dahil humahaba na dahil everytime I speak the next day the president holds a press con."
Birthday wish
She also laughed off her alleged links with Espino who she had investigated for illegal black sand mining and illegal quarrying.
De Lima added that during her term as Justice secretary, she had Espino investigated for the killing of Infanta, Pangasinan Mayor Ruperto Martinez.
The others in the list were merely her colleagues, De Lima added.
The senator who is about to celebrate her 57th birthday on Saturday said she wants the president to leave her alone so she could focus on bigger issues.
"Sana po sa matitira ko pang mga taon dito, mahaba-haba pa naman siguro yan, God willing, dito sa mundong ito, makabuluhan naman ng aking gagawiin rather than ito na napipilatan akong sumasagot sa mga kabulastugan na ito."