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[av_heading heading=’ SC to decide on de Lima petition today ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Tuesday, October 10, 2017
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MANILA – The Supreme Court was set to rule on Sen. Leila de Lima’s petition to dismiss the charges filed against her in connection with the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
Spokesperson Theodore Te said on Monday the high court will discuss the detained senator’s plea during an en banc session today.
“We expect the decision to be out by that day,” Te said.
Aside from seeking to dismiss the charges, de Lima also questioned the jurisdiction of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Muntinlupa City over the case.
De Lima, former driver Ronnie Dayan and former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos were ordered arrested on Feb. 23.
In June, Judge Amelia Fabros-Corpuz of the Muntinlupa City RTC also ordered de Lima and Jose Adrian Dera arrested based on the testimonies from high-profile Bilibid inmate Peter Co.
De Lima still has a pending case before the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 206 under Judge Patria Manalastas-De Leon. Former Bucor chief Franklin Bucayu was a co-respondent.
De Lima was accused of tolerating and benefitting from the drug trade in the national penitentiary when she was still Justice secretary. She allegedly received kickbacks from drug lords in Bilibid. She repeatedly denied these.
NO INHIBITION
Meanwhile, Supreme Court Associate Justice Presbitero J. Velasco Jr. dismissed de Lima’s plea for him to inhibit from her petition for allegedly pushing for the acquittal of a drug lord in Bilibid in 2009.
In a statement, Velasco denied that he pushed for the acquittal of convicted drug lord German Agojo or dissented in the decision of now-retired Justice Dante O. Tinga.
“The high court affirmed the conviction of drug lord German Agojo when the Supreme Court division deliberated on the case in 2009,” Velasco said. “(Tinga) had clarified that the deliberation on the Agojo case was very uneventful.”
According to Velasco, de Lima’s allegations were based on an erroneous report by journalist Marites Vitug, whom he charged with libel before the Manila Regional Trial Court.
“The attempt by Senator de Lima to inhibit me could simply be an attempt on her part to an advantage in connection with her pending case before the Supreme Court involving illegal drug trade and/or conspiracy to commit illegal trade,” Velasco said./PN
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