De Lima fate up to courts: DOJ

De Lima surrendered to authorities in 2017 after the Muntinlupa court issued a warrant for her arrest for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, including conspiracy to engage in the illegal drug trade. (File Photo: Senate of the Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA – It will be up to the courts to decide on the fate of former senator Leila de Lima, who has been locked up for more than five years now on charges of taking illegal drug money while still serving as justice secretary.

As the two-member Senate minority bloc filed a resolution calling for the withdrawal of charges against the 62-year-old de Lima, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said it could not drop any suit against her.

“It is a judicial matter,” Justice Secretary Jose Crispin Remulla said in a statement on Tuesday. “The matter is already within the jurisdiction of the Muntinlupa Trial Court, which has the sole power and authority to act on the pending case against former senator de Lima.”

Senator Risa Hontiveros and Minority Leader, Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, filed Senate Resolution 27 on July 14 and reiterated Tuesday that the DOJ should withdraw the cases against de Lima.

“Early on sa administrasyon, sinabi ng Justice Secretary na hindi sila hahadlang. Kumukuha kami ng pag-asa doon na sana ito’y isa pang senyales ng pag-asa (At the start of the new administration, the Justice Secretary said they would not get in the way. We are pinning our hopes on that, another sign of hope),” Hontiveros said in an interview.

Remulla noted that former Bureau of Corrections chief Rafael Ragos has not been presented as a witness before the Muntinlupa court.

Ragos claimed he delivered money to de Lima’s house on at least two occasions but later retracted his story.

“Hence, the Department will rely on the sound discretion of the court on the appreciation of this alleged evidence,” Remulla said.

De Lima surrendered to authorities in 2017 after the Muntinlupa court issued a warrant for her arrest for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, including conspiracy to engage in the illegal drug trade.

In 2016, authorities released a “matrix” showing key personalities involved in the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.

Jailed drug lords testified that they were allowed by the then Justice secretary to sell drugs from within the penitentiary in exchange for millions of pesos in funding for de Lima’s senatorial campaign.

Hontiveros claimed but would not disclose yet the identity of a lady senator from the “super majority” who expressed interest to be a co-author of her and Pimentel’s resolution.