Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, the Legal counsel of the high-profile inmates who corroborated against Senator Leila De Lima on Tuesday, September 20, denies charges that his clients were pressured and tortured only to give their testimonies in the House probe at the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP).

Former Secretary of Justice and now Senator Leila De Lima who is being accused of receiving drug money and protecting drug lords by allowing the increase of illegal drugs in the NBP accused the Duterte administration of torturing the alleged witnesses to create allegations against her.  Senator De Lima made the claims in her privilege speech a day after she was removed as the chair of the Senate Committee on justice and human rights.

Atty. Topacio stressed that his clients have not been threatened nor tortured or been subjected to torture physically or psychologically.  Topacio is the lawyer of inmates Jerry Pepino, Joel Capones, German Agojo and Noel Martinez and also serves as the co-counsel of Herbert Colangco.

According to Topacio, the Senator can visit his clients to see for herself if they are telling the truth which he added, his clients were transferred to a secure detention cells away from De Lima’s assistant Jaybee Sebastian.