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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Marcos firm on not 'interfering' with De Lima's case

Marcos firm on not 'interfering' with De Lima's case

Published Oct 14, 2022 02:04 pm

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. dismissed calls for him to order prosecutors to drop the drug charges against former Senator Leila de Lima, saying it is still considered interfering.

President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (Photo by Noel Pabalate)

Marcos has been urged to use his legal powers as chief executive to release De Lima from detention, which could be done without interfering with the courts handling her cases.

The President, however, thinks otherwise.

"I think urging prosecutors to do one thing or another is interfering," he said in a media interview on Friday, Oct. 14.

It came as a reiteration of his earlier statement that he does not want to intervene with the former senator's case and let the court handle it, adding he has no doubts on the process anyway.

"I think the process is there. We are continuing to – we are continuing to monitor what is going on," he said.

Calls for De Lima's release took the spotlight anew after she was held hostage by a fellow detainee on Sunday, Oct. 9, inside the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame.

Marcos also revealed the extent of his conversation with De Lima after the incident on Sunday, which only covered the possible transfer to another detention facility.

De Lima declined the offer and she did not ask Marcos to do anything.

"She never asked me to do anything," the President said.

The former senator, however, on Thursday, Oct. 13, took to Twitter her request to Marcos to order the Department of Justice (DOJ) to "stop blocking the testimony of the recanting prosecution witness Rafael Ragos and for them to stop presenting obviously perjured witnesses like Herbert Colangco."

"You can reverse the grievous wrongs inflicted on me by your predecessor. Please, Mr. President. Salamat po (Thank you)," De Lima said.

Marcos acknowledged that he saw the tweet but did not make a comment about it.

Three witnesses on the drug trade charges filed against De Lima have recanted their allegations against her, claiming they have been coerced and threatened by state agents and key government officials of the Duterte administration.

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