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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Pangilinan renews call for De Lima's release after ex-BuCor OIC recants testimony

Pangilinan renews call for De Lima's release after ex-BuCor OIC recants testimony

Published May 2, 2022 02:18 pm

Aspiring vice president Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan reiterated his call to release Senator Leila de Lima after a former National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director recanted his drug claims against the detained senator.

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan (Photo from Team Kiko)

"Gusto na namin makasama si Leila sa miting de avance (We want to finally be with Leila in the miting de avance)," Pangilinan said Monday, May 2.

This came after former Bureau of Corrections officer-in-charge Rafael Marcos Z. Ragos recanted his testimonies which implicated De Lima in the alleged illegal drugs trade at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City under her watch as the secretary of Justice.

Ragos' move to backpedal in his allegations against De Lima followed the move of self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa to take back his claims against the senator on April 28.

“Binawi na ng isa pang sinasabing saksi laban kay Senator Leila De Lima ang kanyang mga paratang. Palayain na si Sen. Leila (One of the witnesses against Senator Leila de Lima has taken back his allegations. Release Sen. Leila now)," Pangilinan said.

The vice presidential candidate also stressed that the case of De Lima is a testament of how rotten the justice system in the country is.

"Patunay ang limang taon na pagkakakulong ni Sen. Leila kung gaano kabulok ang sistema ng hustisya sa bansa. Kung ang isang senador ay pwedeng ipakulong sa gawa-gawang paratang, paano pa ang karaniwang mamamayan? Parang ini-EJK ang katarungan (The five-year detention of Sen. De Lima is proof of how rotten the justice system of the country is. If a senator can be jailed for trumped up allegations, how much more for an ordinary citizen? It's as if justice was executed through extrajudicial killing)," Pangilinan said.

"Ang dapat na kinukulong ay yung may mga conviction at arrest warrant na at malaya pang winawaldas ang ninakaw sa bayan, winawaldas maging sa fake news (People who are already convicted with arrest warrant but still squandering stolen public funds, which are even used to spreading fake news, must be jailed)," he added.

De Lima is seeking reelection under the ticket of Vice President Leni Robredo and Pangilinan.

READ MORE: Release De Lima now, Pangilinan says after Kerwin Espinosa recants drug allegations

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50222 RAFAEL MARCOS RAGOS RELEASE DE LIMA Kiko Pangilinan Leila de Lima
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