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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DOJ set to withdraw appeal on De Lima's acquittal on illegal drugs charges

DOJ set to withdraw appeal on De Lima's acquittal on illegal drugs charges

Published Jul 23, 2025 04:25 pm
The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday, July 23, said it will no longer appeal the trial court’s acquittal of Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-List Rep. Leila de Lima on illegal drugs charges and will withdraw its motion for reconsideration earlier filed by prosecutors.
Prosecutor General Richard Anthony D. Fadullon said the DOJ decision was reached following talks with Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla.
“It should not have been filed in the first place,” said Fadullon on the motion for reconsideration that a prosecution team filed before the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court (RTC) last July 14.
He said the filing of the motion violates the prohibition against double jeopardy.
He clarified, however, that the decision to no longer appeal and to withdraw the earlier motion was not prompted by De Lima’s calls not to appeal her acquittal but “an initiative on the part of the DOJ.
The motion for reconsideration appealed the June 27 decision of Muntinlupa City RTC Branch 204 that acquitted De Lima and her co-accused Ronnie Dayan of illegal drugs trading charges under Republic Act (RA) 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The court issued the decision in compliance with the April 30 Court of Appeals (CA) ruling that declared null and void the RTC’s May 12, 2023 acquittals.
The CA which remanded the case to the RTC explained that “no decision shall be rendered by any court without expressing therein clearly and distinctly the facts and the law on which it is based.”
Case records show that De Lima and Dayan were accused of having received a total of P10 million in 2012 from proceeds from illegal drugs trading from imprisoned drug traders in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.
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