Claims senator had affair with another driver

MANILA - Ronnie Dayan, the former driver and alleged bagman of Senator Leila de Lima, said the lawmaker gave him over P2 million to build his house in Urbiztondo, Pangasinan sometime during their seven-year relationship.

He also clarified that he built an orange house in Urbiztondo, and not a much larger White House allegedly owned by his brother-in-law, an OFW.

In a four-page affidavit, Dayan narrated that his relationship with De Lima started several months after he was hired as a driver and security aide of her law office in 2007.

He said De Lima's child was aware of their relationship and that the senator knew that he was married.

"Alam din po ni Ma'am na may asawa po ako noong panahong iyon. Kasal po ako since 1991 noong ako po ay nag-apply bilang security-driver ni Ma'am sa kanyang law office," he said.

(Ma'am knew that I have a wife at the time. I was married since 1991 when I applied as Ma'am's security-driver in her law office.)

He added that he continued being De Lima's aide when she was appointed as Commission of Human Rights (CHR) chairperson in 2008 and secretary of justice in 2010.

Dayan said he started living with De Lima in Parañaque in 2010.

FINANCIAL PRIVILEGES

Dayan also admitted that his former lover helped him out financially.

He said De Lima gave him more than P2.1 million in 2007 so he could build his house in Pangasinan.

"Tungkol naman po sa bahay sa Pangasinan na regalo daw po ni Ma'am, ang totoo ay noong 2007, humingi ako kay Ma'am ng P120,000.00, pambili nung lupa. Sa patayo ng bahay, nasa P800,000.00 ang nanggaling sa ipon ko ay yung P2,000,000.00 galing kay Ma'am," read Dayan's statement, which did not indicate whether the amounts were a loan or a gift.

(About the house in Pangasinan that Ma'am allegedly gave me, the truth is in 2007, I asked Ma'am for P120,000 to buy the land. For the construction of the house, P800,000 came from my saving while P2 million came from Ma'am.)

During questioning, Dayan clarified that he owns an orange house in Urbiztondo and not a white house. He said the White House is owned by his sister.

"Yung orange dun, yun ang bahay ko po, Sir," he said.

• LOOK: What police found in Dayan's 'White House'
• Bayaw ni Ronnie Dayan, sinabing kanya ang 'white house'

Dayan said De Lima once gave him at least P25,000 from a paper bag of money from alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa.

"Minsan noong humingi ako ng pera kay Ma'am, kumuha na lang siya roon sa pinaglalagyan niya ng paper bag. Sabi ko, magde-day-off na ko, wala na akong pera. Magbibigay siya, P25,000.00 to P30,000.00," he said.

(I once asked for money from Ma'am, she got some from a paper bag. I told her I will be on my day off and I don't have any money. She gve me P25,000 to P30,000.)

END OF A 7-YEAR AFFAIR

Daya said he had a falling-out with De Lima a few months before 2015. He said it was soon after that he learned of De Lima's alleged affair with another aide, Warren Cristobal.

"Bago pumasok yung 2015, nagkalabuan na kami ni Ma'am. Kesyo hindi na daw masaya sa pagsasama namin, lagi kasing bangayan, at laging nag-aaway kami," he said.

(Before 2015 came, Ma'am and I had a fallout. She was no longer happy in our relationship because we were always arguing.)

"Kaya noong nabalitaan ko na iyung isang hagad niya, na ang pangalan ay Warren Cristobal, ang bagong boyfriend niya, nasampal ko siya nang bahagya si Ma'am. Sabi ko, 'Uubusin mo yata kaming mga security mo, ah.'"

(When I heard that a security aide named Warren Cristobal became her new boyfriend, I slapped Ma'am slightly. I said, 'You seem to be going to through your security aides one by one.)

Dayan said he started skipping work in January 2015 and he was fired by De Lima the next month.