MANILA, Philippines (Updated 4:49 p.m.) — Former Senator Leila de Lima is set to be released after over six years of detainment for alleged involvement in the New Bilibid Prison illegal drug trade, as the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206 granted her petition for bail in her last drug case.
Motions for reconsideration on the denial of the petition for bail last June 7 were granted, overturning the decision of Judge Romeo Buenaventura who earlier denied the former senator's petition to bail.
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De Lima, her co-accused former Bureau of Corrections director Franklin Jesus Bucayu, former aides Ronnie Dayan and Joenel Sanchez, as well as the former senator’s alleged bagman, Jose Adrian Dera, were also allowed to post bail in the amount of P300,000 each, according to the order signed by Presiding Judge Gener Gito.
Gito also heard the motion to quash filed by Bucayu.
On October 12, former policeman Rodolfo Magleo and Nonilo Arile, witnesses who accused De Lima of being involved in illegal drug trade with late high-profile inmate Jaybee Sebastian, withdrew their testimonies because they were “bothered by good conscience.”
"We do not want you to be victim of mistrial. We will reveal in due time. We are assuring you all that the last case will be dismissed," they wrote to De Lima last October 12.
De Lima has been detained for six years and eight months since February 2017 and faced three drug cases. She was acquitted in the first two cases.
The former senator was acquitted in her second charge after Rafael Ragos, a former Bureau of Corrections officer-in-charge who was a star witness against her, also recanted his allegation.
'Coming home'
According to De Lima's lawyer Boni Tacardon, the former senator and justice secretary still needs to go to Camp Crame in Quezon City to undergo "procedural steps" to process her release.
"Senator Leila De Lima will get the justice she rightfully deserved and yung kanyang seven years na pagkakakulong ay matitigil na ngayong araw na ito," Tacardon said in an interview with the reporters. (Senator Leila De Lima will get the justice she rightfully deserved and her seven years detainment will end today)
"Uuwi [na] siya ngayon," he added. (She will come home today)
— with reports from Kristine Joy Patag