‘We knew De Lima received drug money as early as 2012’

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Deputy Directors Reynaldo Esmeralda and Ruel Lasala admitted they already knew that drug money was being delivered to then Justice Secretary Leila de Lima as early as 2012. “But its useless kung ia-announce mo during that time dahil very powerful si De Lima at that time,” Esmeralda lamented. The two former officials have filed drug raps against De Lima and NBI Deputy Director Rafael Ragos regarding the proliferation of illegal drugs at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP). They believe that this was the real reason why they were sacked by De Lima in 2014 on the ground of integrity issues due to alleged links with prok barrel scam brains Janet Lim Napoles. De Lima is now a senator. “As early as 2012 alam na namin yung impormasyon na yun e. Precisely yun ang analysis namin kaya inalis na kami sa NBI,” he said. They claimed that they did not file the drug raps just to get back at De Lima for firing them.