De Lima denies affair with Mancao

MANILA - A day after disclosing to the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) program "Headstart" that she is "single by judicial decree of annulment" from her former husband, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima finds herself in a controversy involving an alleged illicit relationship with controversial former cop, Cezar Mancao.

De Lima, reacting to a news report that a certain Teresa Irene Abas has accused Mancao to be in a "secret relationship with someone in position, a government official" who is responsible for his admission into government's Witness Protection Program, said the issue could be "just the  start of a possible demolition job."

"Walang pangalan but any thinking person would immediately point to me as that alleged other woman. Inasmuch as ayaw ko na sanang patulan yan, ayaw ko na sanang patulan yan,  pero siguro para lang...baka kasi simula lang ito eh," De Lima said.

The justice chief refused to give details as to whom she suspects to be behind the controversy, but issued a stern warning: "Ang masasabi ko sa kanila, huwag nila akong susubukan."

"Huwag nila akong susubukan kasi ginagawa ko lang ang trabaho ko. This is just a thankless job na ang dami mong sacrifices, and with all of these challenges and then babatuhin ka ng ganoon ka-foul? It's rubbish," De Lima added.

"It's difficult to imagine that unless she's a nutcase, yang sino man yan, yang Ms. Abas, ay ginagawa niya ito on her own na walang nasa likod niya. Hindi ko maisip yan eh unless nga she is a nutcase na nagco-concoct lang ng ganyan," De Lima said.