Albay 1st district Rep. Edcel Lagman

Liberal Party (LP) President and Albay 1st district Rep. Edcel Lagman threw shade at the attempt of prosecutors to reopen the illegal drug case against his party-mate, former senator Leila de Lima.

"The prosecution’s attempt to reopen the case against Sen. Leila De Lima, after jointly submitting it for decision, to belatedly introduce a 'rebuttal' witness, is prosecution by installment which is persecutory, dilatory and unwarranted," he said in a statement.

Earlier, prosecutors filed a motion asking a Muntinlupa City regisonal trial court (RTC) to reopen the proceedings against  De Lima in order for then to submit evidence rebutting the testimony of former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Deputy Director Rafael Ragos.

Ragos had previously  recanted his testimony against the former senator.

De Lima, also a former Department of Justice (DOJ) secretary, is in jail for her alleged links to the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP). Her term in the Senate lasted from 2016 to 2022.

She had been incarcerated at the Philippine National Police (PNP) custodial center for six years.

Meanwhile, Lagman said that De Lima has rejected offers for her to be granted hospital furlough or house arrest "because she wants justice and not mercy".