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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Metro Manila devider De Lima to Duterte: God forgive him

De Lima to Duterte: God forgive him

Published Nov 14, 2023 03:22 am

Former senator Leila de Lima, who is now out of detention through bail, believes that her drug cases were orchestrated by former president Rodrigo Duterte. 

In February 2017, De Lima, who was a sitting senator, was charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Duterte administration with three drug cases filed before Muntinlupa courts. 

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Former president Rodrigo Duterte (left) and former senator Leila de Lima (Photos from Senator Bong Go's Facebook page, Noel Pabalate)

The cases were all for illegal drug trading allegedly done during her stint as justice secretary. The three cases were later changed by the DOJ to conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading. 

“I always knew that while the former president was in power, I will not be set free because my persecution was his project. So how can I be set free during his term?” said De Lima during a press conference on Nov. 13 after she was released from detention at Camp Crame. 

In a decision dated Nov. 10 under case no. 17-167, Presiding Judge Gener Gito of the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 206 granted bail amounting to P300,000 each to De Lima, former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director Franklin Jesus Bucayu, Ronnie Dayan, Joenel Sanchez and Jose Adrian Dera. 

“Wherefore, premises considered, the respective Motions for Reconsideration of the concerned accused are granted. Thus, the Order of the Court dated June 07, 2023, is reconsidered. Consequently, accused De Lima, Bucayu, Dayan, Sanchez and Dera are allowed to post bail in the amount of three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00) each.”

They are accused of 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.

De Lima said when the Marcos administration came into power, she had hopes that she would be set free. 

“When the Marcos administration came in, there was some hope that in my case, justice will happen,” she said. 

When asked about her message to Duterte, De Lima said, “God forgive him and God bless him. He knows what he did to me. I suppose.”

The trial for case 17-167 will continue while De Lima and her co-accused are out on bail. This is the last pending drug case filed by the DOJ. Two other cases were dismissed by Muntinlupa courts. 

 

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