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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Metro Manila devider De Lima tells Remulla: 'I will gain my freedom on the merits'

De Lima tells Remulla: 'I will gain my freedom on the merits'

Published Apr 21, 2023 09:50 am
Former senator Leila de Lima told Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla that she would rather be granted bail based on the merits in her two remaining drug cases pending in Muntinlupa courts rather than on humanitarian grounds. De Lima issued a statement from her detention cell in Camp Crame in reaction to Remulla’s statement on her cases.  Former senator Leila de Lima (Contributed photo)
Remulla told reporters that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will not oppose De Lima’s motion for bail if it is based on humanitarian grounds not on the merits of the cases.  De Lima has two remaining drug cases in two Muntinlupa, both filed by the DOJ in 2017 for conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading. One case was dismissed by a Muntinlupa court in February 2021.  “I will gain my freedom on the merits, because the DOJ has no case against me from the very beginning,” said De Lima in her statement.  She added, “I thank Sec. Remulla for his concern about my ordeal, especially after I was taken hostage and almost killed in my detention cell.”  “But I cannot thank him as the head of the agency that is primarily responsible for the fabrication of the charges against me during the time of Duterte, and maintained, to date. Justice and freedom for me are long overdue,” the former senator said.  One of the cases, 17-165, has been submitted for decision and it will be resolved by the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204 on May 12.  Under the case, the DOJ accused De Lima and Ronnie Dayan of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading allegedly done during her time as justice secretary.  The case alleged that De Lima received P10 million in 2012 from former Bureau of Corrections officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos, which supposedly came from the illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa.  But Ragos, in an affidavit he issued in April last year, recanted all his allegations against De Lima and Dayan. He also testified in court to affirm his recantation, saying De Lima and Dayan were innocent of the charges.  In another case, 17-167, the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 256 will issue a decision on De Lima’s petition for bail on May 8.  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 were charged for conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading.  The 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.

The case 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. 

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