The Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court on Wednesday cited for indirect contempt the former driver-bodyguard of detained Senator Leila de Lima for refusing to cooperate and answers questions asked of him.
Branch 34 Judge Ma. Ludmila de Pio Lim held Ronnie Dayan for contempt and ordered him to pay a fine of P200.
Dayan, who declined to testify against De Lima, invoked his right against self-incrimination.
The case against De Lima and Dayan stemmed from the allegation that the former advised the latter not to attend a congressional inquiry in 2016 in connection with the rampant illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City.
Dayan was forced to attend yesterday’s hearing when the judge junked his motion to quash a subpoena for him to testify.
Former House leaders Pantaleon Alvarez of Davao del Norte, Rodolfo Fariñas of Ilocos Norte and Reynaldo Umali of Oriental Mindoro filed the disobedience complaint with the Department of Justice that indicted De Lima and Dayan.