De Lima listed as witness in Parañaque shootout

MANILA, Philippines - A lawyer handling the 2008 Parañaque shootout has listed Justice Secretary Leila de Lima as one of the prosecution’s witnesses in the double murder case against eight members of the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (HPG).

“She is a former chairman of the Commission on Human Rights, whose investigation led to the finding of probable cause against the policemen,” lawyer Jerry Elquiza told The STAR.

He said De Lima is one of the 20 witnesses he listed during Wednesday’s pretrial hearing before Judge Jaime Guray of Parañaque Regional Trial Court Branch 260.

The policemen were charged for the deaths of Alfonso de Vera and his daughter Lia Allana, who were caught in a crossfire while policemen were chasing a group of robbers on Dec. 5, 2008.

The eight were initially cleared by the trial court in 2010, but were ordered arrested by the appellate court last month. The CA said Guray committed an error in immediately dismissing the cases against the policemen.

Aside from De Lima, the prosecution has included medical and forensic experts in its list of witnesses.