A RETIRED police general who testified against former senator Leila M. de Lima in her drug trafficking cases has expressed his intention to recant his sworn statements before a Muntinlupa City trial court.
In a one-page letter to Judge Gener M. Gito dated Dec. 18 and released to media on Thursday, retired police brigadier general Jerry C. Valeroso said he has decided to recant his testimony “to set free all accused who were wrongfully charged.”
Mr. Valeroso added that the criminal complaints filed against the accused, which includes Ms. De Lima “are pure hearsay and full of lies.”
“Because I was disturbed by my conscience, I planned to recant in early 2019. However, due to fearing for my life and the safety of my family and loved one, I lost the guts to do so,” read part of his letter.
According to Ms. De Lima’s lawyer and spokesman, Filibon F. Tacardon, Mr. Valeroso testified that he took part in an undercover investigation on the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP), with former police sergeant Nonilo Arile acting as his informant.
Mr. Tacardon told reporters in a Viber message that the retired police official claimed to have met during his probe an alleged influential Chinese prisoner, Sam Li Chua, who purportedly showed him P65 million, intended for Ms. De Lima. He also claimed to have seen the ex-senator watching the concert organized by high-profile inmate Herbert Collango inside NBP.
Mr. Valeroso becomes the 13th witness to retract statements implicating the former senator in the illegal drugs trade. — Jomel R. Paguian