Former senator Jamby Madrigal on Friday denied that she tried to bribe high-profile inmates to recant their testimonies linking Senator Leila de Lima as the protector of the illegal drug trade in the national penitentiary.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said Madrigal and Biñan representative Marlyn Alonte-Naguiat offered to bribe the drug lords through the former senator's cousin, Lalaine Madrigal Martinez, who is the spouse of a high-profile inmate.

"Hindi ko siya (Martinez) kilala at lalong hindi totoong kinausap ko siya para mag-alok ng anuman. ‘Kuryente’ ang impormasyong pinagkakalat ni Aguirre," Madrigal said.

(I don’t know Martinez, and it isn’t true that I spoke or made any offer to her. The information being peddled by Aguirre is another bum steer.)

She added: "I hope Secretary Aguirre isn't losing his marbles. The head of the Department of Justice is supposed to be ensuring not just the rule of law, but sobriety in its application. He is not supposed to be in the business of peddling conspiracy theories, much less engaging in character assassination."

The former lawmaker said she has been enjoying her life as a "quiet citizen" since her failed election bid in 2013, and has no interest in dipping her hands into the issues De Lima is facing.

The former senator said she is expecting an apology from the justice chief who "maliciously" tagged her in the alleged bribery.

Alonte-Naguiat has also denied the bribery allegations, saying she does not know any of the inmates who testified against the senator.

She also denied making any call to the inmates to offer the P100 million bribe, saying she is willing to submit her phone records to prove her claim.

"Baka nga may nangyaring ganoong tawagan pero ang sinisiguro ko, hindi ako 'yun... Hindi ho ako tumawag, hindi ho ako nakisali sa ganyang gawain so hindi ko po alam paano nila nakuha yung ganyang issue," she added.

(Maybe someone did make call but I can assure you, it was not me. I did not call. I did not engage in those kinds of activities so I don't know why I was tagged in that issue.)

The lawmaker said she does not know Madrigal personally, and that she has been allied with President Rodrigo Duterte's PDP-Laban since her election win last year.

"How can I be close to Senator Jamby when she fought against the cityhood of Biñan in the Senate?" she said in a separate interview.

Naguiat admitted that she is close to celebrity Kris Aquino, who is the sibling of former president Benigno Aquino III, but said that they never talked about politics.

"Never (did Kris and I talk about politics). Baka love life niya, pwede pa," the congresswoman said.

Alonte-Naguiat said she was willing to undergo a lie detector test and face Aguirre's sources.

She declined to comment if she will be filing charges against Aguirre over the false allegations.