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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider De Lima camp hoping Muntinlupa courts can grant her bail in drug cases this year 

De Lima camp hoping Muntinlupa courts can grant her bail in drug cases this year 

Published Oct 24, 2022 06:30 pm

The camp of former senator Leila de Lima is hoping that Muntinlupa courts will grant her bail in the two remaining drug cases she is facing.

De Lima attended the bail hearing on Oct. 24 at the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 256, which is hearing case 17-167. Prosecution witness Herbert Colangco was cross-examined during the hearing.

Former senator Leila de Lima arrives at the Muntinlupa Hall of Justice on Oct. 24 to attend a bail hearing in one of her two remaining drug cases (Ali Vicoy)

Under the case, De Lima, former Bureau of Corrections director Franklin Jesus Bucayu, Wilfredo Elli, Jaybee Sebastian (now deceased), Ronnie Dayan, Joenel Sanchez and Jose Adrian Dera are facing charges of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) charged that between March 2013 to May 2015, the accused used inmates at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa to sell and trade dangerous drugs using mobile phones and other electronic devices, and allegedly got the proceeds amounting to P70 million.

De Lima is also facing another case of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading before the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 204 under case 17-165.

“Ang kahilingan niya ay sana mapabilis itong proseso ngayon at kung saka-sakali, mapagbigyan siya na makapag-piyansa man lang at makakuha ng temporary liberty (She is hoping that this process will be speed up and if ever, she will be given the chance to at least post bail and get temporary liberty),” Boni Tacardon, De Lima’s legal counsel, told the media after the bail hearing.

Rafael Ragos, former officer-in-charge of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), is set to testify in case 17-165 on Oct. 28.

In a decision dated Oct. 18, the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 204 denied the motion for reconsideration filed by government prosecutors who opposed the court’s order recalling Ragos, a prosecution witness, to testify again.

Ragos is the key witness in case 17-165, which accused De Lima and Ronnie Dayan of getting P10 million from him in November and December 2012.

In his original testimonies and affidavits, Ragos claimed that he delivered the money to De Lima’s house in Paranaque.

However, he recanted all his statements and testimonies in an affidavit dated April 30 this year and said that he did not deliver the money to De Lima and Dayan.

Dayan, through his lawyer, filed a motion asking the court to recall Ragos to testify for his defense, which the court granted.

Tacardon said if Ragos’ recantation is accepted by the court, it can be used as basis for their motion for bail.

“Sabi nga niya, mas gusto niya ang bail ngayon. Hopefully sana matapos natin itong taon na ito (She said that she prefers bail. Hopefully it can be finished within this year),” he said.

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