Muntinlupa court turns down Leila de Lima’s bid for bail

Former senator Leila de Lima. (File Photo: Leila De Lima/Facebook)

MANILA – The Muntinlupa regional trial court (RTC) on Wednesday denied former senator Leila de Lima’s petition for bail for her remaining criminal case.

In his order dated June 7, Judge Romeo S. Buenaventura of RTC Branch 256 clarified that while De Lima’s plea for provisional liberty on humanitarian considerations is untenable, the denial of bail by the court after finding the evidence of guilt is strong “does not equate to a finding of proof of guilt beyond reasonable doubt.”

“The arguments raised by the accused regarding the lack of credibility of the prosecution witnesses and inconsistencies in their testimonies failed to convince the court,” the court said.

The court set a hearing for the presentation of the prosecution’s evidence on June 19 and 26 in the case which involved allegations that De Lima tolerated drug deals inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) while she was secretary of justice.

Last May 12, another Muntinlupa court RTC Branch 204 dismissed the case of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading against De Lima, related to her alleged involvement in shady deals at the NBP.

After key witness and former Bureau of Corrections deputy director Rafael Ragos recanted his testimonies last year, Branch 204 presiding judge Joseph Alcantara said reasonable doubt was cast on the guilt of the 63-year-old De Lima, who has been under detention since February 2017.

The prosecution claimed proceeds from the sale of illegal drugs were delivered to De Lima in two tranches of PHP5 million on Nov. 24 and Dec. 15, 2012.

Ragos and intelligence agent Jovencio Ablen were initially presented as witnesses but the judge noted that only the former claimed knowledge of the supposed source of the money.