Court OKs Ragos to testify again in De Lima case
MANILA, Philippines — The Muntinlupa court has allowed former Bureau of Corrections official Rafael Ragos, who had recanted his earlier allegation, to testify again in the drug case against former Sen. Leila de Lima.
This was after the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204 denied the motion for reconsideration filed by the prosecution to overturn the court’s earlier resolution on their Urgent Motion to recall prosecution witness Rafael Ragos.
“After a careful scrutiny of the arguments raised in the Motion, this Court denies the same for lack of merit,” Judge Abraham Joseph Alcantara said.
“The Motion raises no new matters and issues which have not already been considered and passed upon by this Court in its Order,” the ruling further read.
To recall, Ragos showed up at the court on September 30 but was unable to testify before the court after the prosecution raised opposition to his taking the witness stand.
In resolving the prosecution’s appeal, the court stressed that it “must not be too willing to accept it (recantation), but must test its value in a public trial with sufficient opportunity given to the adverse party to cross-examine the recanting witness.”
The court also said that the supposed recantation of Ragos tested in public trial would best serve the interest of justice.
“The Court should determine which testimony should be given credence through a comparison of the original testimony and the new testimony, applying the general rules of evidence. Thus, Mr. Ragos must be recalled and presented in court,” the ruling read.
READ: As govt star witness recants, De Lima moves for case dismissal
Ragos, a key prosecution witness, retracted his testimony that he delivered P10 million to De Lima and her aide Ronnie Dayan — her co-accused in the case — in two tranches.
When the court denied De Lima’s demurrer to evidence, which challenges the prosecution evidence, in February 2021, then-Presiding Judge Liezel Aquiatan said: “From the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses, it is clear that the money was collected as contributions to the fund raising of accused De Lima for her campaign as senator.”
Ragos, in May, said he was coerced to make false allegations against De Lima. He said in an affidavit executed on April 30: “As far as I know and based on my professional relationship with Sec. De Lima, she is incapable of doing anything illegal, much less engage in the illegal drug trade or accept money from Bilibid inmates.”
De Lima has been detained since February 2017 at the Philippine National Police detention center in Camp Crame. Calls for De Lima's release continue to mount following the recantation of allegations against her, and the recent incident where she was taken as hostage by a detainee attempting to flee.
- Latest
- Trending
