Manila Bulletin
Philippines
Metro Manila
Muntinlupa judge's decision to recuse from De Lima trial to delay resolution of drug case
Philippines
Metro Manila
Muntinlupa judge's decision to recuse from De Lima trial to delay resolution of drug case
Muntinlupa judge's decision to recuse from De Lima trial to delay resolution of drug case
Published Jun 16, 2023 01:47 pm
The decision of a Muntinlupa judge to recuse himself from the trial of former senator Leila de Lima will slightly delay the resolution of the case, the accused legal counsel said.
Presiding Judge Romeo Buenaventura of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 256 issued an order dated June 15, inhibiting himself from further hearing case 17-167, which accused De Lima and others of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading.
Former senator Leila de Lima at the Muntinlupa Hall of Justice (Contributed photo)
In the June 7 decision, Buenaventura denied the petitions and motions for bail filed by De Lima and co-accused former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director Franklin Jesus Bucayu, Ronnie Dayan, Joenel Sanchez and Jose Adrian Dera. This prompted Bucayu, Dayan and Sanchez to file motions asking the judge to inhibit himself from hearing the case due to conflict of interest. The three cited news reports that the judge is the brother of Emmanuel Buenaventura, who allegedly served as legal counsel to the late Rep. Reynaldo Umali, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Justice, who conducted hearings in 2016 about the alleged drug proliferation at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa. They said the judge failed to disclose this matter. Case 17-167 is the last remaining drug case De Lima is facing. Two of the cases filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2017 were dismissed by Muntinlupa courts in 2011 and in May this year. Boni Tacardon, De Lima’s legal counsel, said Buenaventura’s decision to inhibit will slightly affect the hearings. “Admittedly, the inhibition of Judge Buenaventura and the transfer of this case to another judge will cause a bit of a delay, but our client [De Lima] is steadfast in her resolve that her vindication is near. She continues to believe that truth and justice will prevail and that her vindication from these trumped-up charges will come ‘very very soon.’ In her own words, ‘walang expiration ang pag-labas ng katotohanan (the truth has no expiration),’” said Tacardong. He added, “The delay in the resolution of the case, brought about by the inhibition of the Presiding Judge, is for me, the lesser evil to avoid ( as compared to the possibility of a gross mistrial).” The Office of the Court Administrator under the Supreme Court previously ordered Buenaventura to finish hearing the case within nine months as it has dragged on for six years. De Lima has been in detention since February 2017 due to the cases.
Former senator Leila de Lima at the Muntinlupa Hall of Justice (Contributed photo)
In the June 7 decision, Buenaventura denied the petitions and motions for bail filed by De Lima and co-accused former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director Franklin Jesus Bucayu, Ronnie Dayan, Joenel Sanchez and Jose Adrian Dera. This prompted Bucayu, Dayan and Sanchez to file motions asking the judge to inhibit himself from hearing the case due to conflict of interest. The three cited news reports that the judge is the brother of Emmanuel Buenaventura, who allegedly served as legal counsel to the late Rep. Reynaldo Umali, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Justice, who conducted hearings in 2016 about the alleged drug proliferation at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa. They said the judge failed to disclose this matter. Case 17-167 is the last remaining drug case De Lima is facing. Two of the cases filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2017 were dismissed by Muntinlupa courts in 2011 and in May this year. Boni Tacardon, De Lima’s legal counsel, said Buenaventura’s decision to inhibit will slightly affect the hearings. “Admittedly, the inhibition of Judge Buenaventura and the transfer of this case to another judge will cause a bit of a delay, but our client [De Lima] is steadfast in her resolve that her vindication is near. She continues to believe that truth and justice will prevail and that her vindication from these trumped-up charges will come ‘very very soon.’ In her own words, ‘walang expiration ang pag-labas ng katotohanan (the truth has no expiration),’” said Tacardong. He added, “The delay in the resolution of the case, brought about by the inhibition of the Presiding Judge, is for me, the lesser evil to avoid ( as compared to the possibility of a gross mistrial).” The Office of the Court Administrator under the Supreme Court previously ordered Buenaventura to finish hearing the case within nine months as it has dragged on for six years. De Lima has been in detention since February 2017 due to the cases.