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By Prince Golez, Manila Reporter
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Sunday, February 19, 2017
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MANILA – Senators belonging to the Liberal Party (LP) criticized the Department of Justice (DOJ) for filing criminal cases against Sen. Leila de Lima before the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Cour (RTC).
“The Sandiganbayan, not the RTC, has jurisdiction over the case as the alleged wrongdoing were supposedly committed when she was Justice secretary,” said senators Franklin Drilon, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV and Francis Pangilinan in a joint statement.
They believe the charges leveled against the former Justice secretary were “trumped-up,” thus arresting her would be “illegal.”
“Furthermore, senator de Lima was not able to file her counter-affidavit so we question whatever ruling the Department of Justice issued without hearing her side of the story,” the senators explained.
De Lima’s political allies also appealed for total impartiality in the dispensation of justice.
The lady senator, according to them, has been prejudged before any of the charges were filed against her.
Being the alter ego of President Rodrigo Duterte, the LP senators also advised Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre to inhibit in de Lima’s cases.
“We assert that the Ombudsman has primary jurisdiction over cases against public officers cognizable by the Sandiganbayan. Violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which is the DOJ’s case against Sen. De Lima, falls under ‘other offenses committed by public officials’ listed in the Sandiganbayan Law,” they pointed out.
According to them, any warrant for the arrest of de Lima would be a clear violation of legal proceedings.
Aguirre earlier said that de Lima, facing drug trafficking complaints, could be arrested on Monday, after her cases will be raffled off./PN
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