De Lima scores Ragos' testimony at trial
Published Jun 11, 2019 04:06 pm
By Jonathan Hicap
Detained Sen. Leila de Lima has criticized the testimony of former Bureau of Corrections officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos at the trial for one of the drug cases filed against her by the government.
Senator Leila de Lima
(REUTERS / Romeo Ranoco / MANILA BULLETIN) During the trial under case 17-165 under the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 205 held last June 7, Ragos testified that she delivered money to the house of De Lima in 2012. “I don’t have to further comment on the utter absurdity and incredulity of the testimony of another perjured prosecution witness, Rafael Ragos, during last Friday’s hearing in one of my drug cases,” De Lima said in a handwritten statement dated June 10. She added that “only idiots will believe the fictional tales of Ragos and other so-called witnesses about my alleged receipt of drug money from Bilibid inmates. Fake cases. Fake stories. Pure inventions.” When the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed the case of illegal drug trading in February 2017, it included De Lima, Ragos and Ronnie Dayan as co-accused. But in November 2017, the DOJ amended the charge to conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading and dropped Ragos as co-accused. The government said using electronic devices, the inmates at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) traded dangerous drugs between November 2012 and December 2012 and delivered the proceeds to De Lima, who was then justice secretary, and Dayan amounting to P5 million on Nov. 24, 2012 and another P5 million on Dec. 15, 2012. Last February, De Lima’s camp filed a motion asking the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 205 to reinstate Ragos as co-accused, saying that “assuming without admitting that the charge is correct, Ragos appears to be the most guilty even under the amended information.” Boni Tacardon, De Lima’s legal counsel, said that in his testimony, Ragos claimed that he saw the money on his bed and got a call from inmate Hans Tan who told him to deliver the money to De Lima’s house. “Agad-agad, sumunod daw siya for reason na hindi naman n’ya maipaliwanag nang maayos sa’min. Sumunod siya sa utos ng isang inmate. Kaya siguro dun kami magtatanong na rin sa kanya kung bakit ang isang inmate ay kayang utusan ang head ng BuCor (Bureau of Corrections). Hindi lang nangyari ito isang beses, dalawang beses nangyari ito na may makikita siyang isang bag na puno ng pera at may tatawag sa kanya at uutusan siyang mag-deliver,” Tacardon said. He added, “Katataka-taka rin na makakapasok ang isang bag na may perang halagang limang milyon sa kwarto niya nang libreng-libre, parang napakadaling pasukin ng kanyang kwarto at mag-iiwan doon ng kontrabando. “Yun basically ang kanyang testimonya na sinabi sa korte kanina.” Tacardon described Ragos’ testimony as full of “loopholes and we would try to establish that later. Not only that, meron din mga dagdag na kwento na hindi n’ya nabanggit nung nag-testify siya sa House (of Representatives) at sa kaniyang tatlong affidavit.” He said that Ragos also claimed in his testimony that Dayan told him to collect money in 2013 for De Lima’s senatorial candidacy. “Kung babasahin mo ang kaniyang mga affidavit, walang mga ganun. Ilang beses siya tinanong sa House (of Representatives), wala siyang sinasabi na inuutusan siya ni Ronnie Dayan, kaya nagulat kami na may ganitong bagong kuwento,” he said.
Senator Leila de Lima(REUTERS / Romeo Ranoco / MANILA BULLETIN) During the trial under case 17-165 under the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 205 held last June 7, Ragos testified that she delivered money to the house of De Lima in 2012. “I don’t have to further comment on the utter absurdity and incredulity of the testimony of another perjured prosecution witness, Rafael Ragos, during last Friday’s hearing in one of my drug cases,” De Lima said in a handwritten statement dated June 10. She added that “only idiots will believe the fictional tales of Ragos and other so-called witnesses about my alleged receipt of drug money from Bilibid inmates. Fake cases. Fake stories. Pure inventions.” When the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed the case of illegal drug trading in February 2017, it included De Lima, Ragos and Ronnie Dayan as co-accused. But in November 2017, the DOJ amended the charge to conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading and dropped Ragos as co-accused. The government said using electronic devices, the inmates at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) traded dangerous drugs between November 2012 and December 2012 and delivered the proceeds to De Lima, who was then justice secretary, and Dayan amounting to P5 million on Nov. 24, 2012 and another P5 million on Dec. 15, 2012. Last February, De Lima’s camp filed a motion asking the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 205 to reinstate Ragos as co-accused, saying that “assuming without admitting that the charge is correct, Ragos appears to be the most guilty even under the amended information.” Boni Tacardon, De Lima’s legal counsel, said that in his testimony, Ragos claimed that he saw the money on his bed and got a call from inmate Hans Tan who told him to deliver the money to De Lima’s house. “Agad-agad, sumunod daw siya for reason na hindi naman n’ya maipaliwanag nang maayos sa’min. Sumunod siya sa utos ng isang inmate. Kaya siguro dun kami magtatanong na rin sa kanya kung bakit ang isang inmate ay kayang utusan ang head ng BuCor (Bureau of Corrections). Hindi lang nangyari ito isang beses, dalawang beses nangyari ito na may makikita siyang isang bag na puno ng pera at may tatawag sa kanya at uutusan siyang mag-deliver,” Tacardon said. He added, “Katataka-taka rin na makakapasok ang isang bag na may perang halagang limang milyon sa kwarto niya nang libreng-libre, parang napakadaling pasukin ng kanyang kwarto at mag-iiwan doon ng kontrabando. “Yun basically ang kanyang testimonya na sinabi sa korte kanina.” Tacardon described Ragos’ testimony as full of “loopholes and we would try to establish that later. Not only that, meron din mga dagdag na kwento na hindi n’ya nabanggit nung nag-testify siya sa House (of Representatives) at sa kaniyang tatlong affidavit.” He said that Ragos also claimed in his testimony that Dayan told him to collect money in 2013 for De Lima’s senatorial candidacy. “Kung babasahin mo ang kaniyang mga affidavit, walang mga ganun. Ilang beses siya tinanong sa House (of Representatives), wala siyang sinasabi na inuutusan siya ni Ronnie Dayan, kaya nagulat kami na may ganitong bagong kuwento,” he said.