The Muntinlupa City regional trial court (RTC) has ordered the return to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City from the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF) in Occidental Mindoro of seven high-profile persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) who had wanted to recant their testimonies against former senator Leila M. de Lima.
Ordered returned to NBP were PDLs German L. Agojo, Tomas B. Donina, Jaime V. Patcho, Wu Tuan Yuan who is also known as Peter Co, Engelberto Durano, Jerry R. Pepino, and Hans Anton Tan.
They were among the high-profile PDLs who were transfered to SPPF in August this year.
The court's order returning the PDLs to NBP was confirmed by Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. on Wednesday, Dec. 20.
“May court order na (There is already a court order). We are transferring them as soon as possible,” Catapang said.
However, Catapang said that not all of the seven PDLs wanted to be returned to NBP.
“May tatlo na gusto na iwan na lang sila doon (There are three who are asking that they remain at SPPF). I am not revealing the names. Nasa court pa ‘yun naghehearing pa sila (The request is being heard by the court)," he said.
Lawyer Filibon Tacardon, the legal counsel of the PDls , also confirmed that there is indeed a court order for their transfer from SPPF to NBP.
The order was issued by the RTC after De Lima filed a motion last Nov. 21 asking for the transfer of the seven PDLs.
De Lima told that court that she received a letter dated Nov. 17 from the seven PDLs who expressed their intention to recant their testimonies against her and asked that she help their return to the NBP due to concerns over their safety at the SPPF.
There were three illegal drugs cases filed against De Lima who had been acquitted on the first two criminal charges.
She had been granted bail on the third case in which she was charged with allegedly receiving P70 million in illegal drugs earnings collected by imprisoned narcotics traders at NBP.