After seven years.
On Monday, June 24, the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 206 granted former Senator and human rights lawyer Leila De Lima a demurrer to evidence in her remaining drug case.
The basis to the defense’s motion was the lack of sufficient evidence that would prove De Lima’s involvement in the drug charges filed against her.
As such, by granting the demurrer, the court has acquitted the former Senator and effectively dismissed the court case.
The remaining court case, where De Lima has been cleared, is the one where she was implicated as being behind the drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison during her time as the Secretary of Justice from 2010 to 2015.
Prior to which, two other cases filed against the former Senator had been previously dismissed by the court.
The first case, which alleged her ties with a certain personality named Peter Co, was junked in 2021 after the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 205 granted the demurrer to evidence filed by the defense team of De Lima.
After that, another drug charge was dimissed by the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 204 in May 2023 due to the retraction of statements by the witnesses against the former legislator.
Muntinlupa RTC Branch 206 was the same court that granted the human rights lawyer’s bail petition in November 2023, which allowed her to get out of prison after seven years.
After the granting of the demurrer, De Lima said that she is relieved and joyous now that she is finally and officially free.
“It’s very liberating. I respected the rule of law, despite the pain, despite the injustices of it all. I confronted the charges head on, and I went through and endured the whole process.”
As for opposition leader Senator Risa Hontiveros, “the dismissal of former Senator De Lima’s third and last case proves that justice is based on truth and evidence, not on baseless charges and political motivations.”
“Noon pa man, alam kong walang sala si Sen. Leila at umaapaw ang kaligahayan sa puso ko na ngayon ay nakamit na niya ang hustisya. From “Free Leila Now” to “Now, Leila is free.”,” she wrote on her official Facebook page.
Former Senator Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan also expressed his sentiment regarding his Liberal party mate’s court victory, describing the tedious process to her acquittal as a huge setback to the justice system.
“Ito ang sinasabi natin mula ‘nung umpisa. Gawa-gawa lang at kasinungalingan ang mga paratang laban kay Sen. Leila de Lima. Ang mapait na realidad ay inabot ng mahigit pitong taon bago ito mapagpasyahan ng hukom. Bakit? Isang malaking dagok sa sistema ng katarungan na umabot nang ganitong katagal bago ma-dismiss ang kaso.”
Speaking of the Liberal Party, where De Lima is currently serving as a spokesperson, allows the former Senator “to resume her tireless work, particularly her pursuit of justice for the victims of the drug war.”
“Her courage and resilience in the face of adversity serve as an inspiration to all who fight for truth and justice,” the party added.
To end, “Sen. Leila’s exoneration is not just a personal victory, but a triumph for justice and the rule of law in our country.”
Trendrod 