MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte said Sunday Sen. Leila de Lima’s driver was her link to drug lords, who were allowed to run their syndicates from detention when she was justice secretary.

Duterte dared De Lima’s driver to explain how he was able to afford a big house on his meager salary. He earlier accused the driver of collecting money from the detained drug suspects.

“It was your greed and immorality that did you in,” Duterte told a televised news conference at the presidential guest house in Davao City.

“There is the fact that because of that relationship with her driver, which I termed immoral, gave rise to the corruption of what was happening inside the national penitentiary,” he added.

The President also advised the Senator, who open an investigation on the deaths linked to the government's anti-drug drive: "You are in a bind. Think it over seriously. Do not open your month unnecessarily."

Duterte said De Lima was photographed attending the birthday party of one of the inmates.

Prison officials, Duterte said, could be charged with negligence for allowing inmates to hold parties, bring in women, and manufacture drugs from the national penitentiary. The President said they should “tell the truth” when summoned to any investigation.