Senator Leila De Lima on Tuesday on ABS-CBN 1on1 Interview with Karen Davila said she appreciates the "warm, friendly" gesture of President Rodrigo Duterte, who shook her hand before he delivered his first State of the Nation Address (SONA).
"I appreciated that there was warmth and friendliness, and it was an icebreaker of sorts, and to show to the people na wala talagang personalan sa ginagawa naming pareho,"
She said before Monday's handshake, their interaction was limited to two meetings--first at the height of the investigation on the Davao Death Squad, where she was the chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights while Duterte was the mayor; and second during the Senate investigation on rice smuggler Davidson Bangayan when she was justice secretary.
"Nakalampas na nga siya sa’kin nang konti, at nagulat ako nang biglang bumalik, nag-detour, and then extended his hand without saying anything, he just smiled. And then the only thing that I could say was ‘Hi, Sir.’ That’s all," De Lima recalled.
She added, Duterte even had a "childish smirk" as he was walking away.
"I appreciated that there was warmth and friendliness, and it was an icebreaker of sorts, and to show to the people na wala talagang personalan sa ginagawa naming pareho,"
She said before Monday's handshake, their interaction was limited to two meetings--first at the height of the investigation on the Davao Death Squad, where she was the chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights while Duterte was the mayor; and second during the Senate investigation on rice smuggler Davidson Bangayan when she was justice secretary.
"Nakalampas na nga siya sa’kin nang konti, at nagulat ako nang biglang bumalik, nag-detour, and then extended his hand without saying anything, he just smiled. And then the only thing that I could say was ‘Hi, Sir.’ That’s all," De Lima recalled.
She added, Duterte even had a "childish smirk" as he was walking away.