Duterte’s advice to De Lima on drug cases – “Face the music”

President Duterte speaks to the victims of the 6.7 magnitude quake that hit Surigao del Norte on February 12, Sunday. The quake hit Surigao City at 10:03 p.m. Friday (February 10) Photo grabbed from RTVM video
File photo of President Rodrigo Duterte.  (Photo grabbed from RTVM video)

 

(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte advised senator Leila de Lima to just answer in court the drug-related charges filed against her at the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court by the Department of Justice on Friday, February 17.

“She has to face the music. Actually ilang testigo ‘yan (There are several witnesses), it took months to develop the case,” Duterte told reporters during his visit to the wake of soldiers killed in action in Panacan, Davao City.

Alam naman ng Pilipino ‘yan. Alam ng Pilipino na ganun talaga ang istilo niya. (Filipinos know that. The Filipino public knows that is her style),” he said.

He said that the government’s evidence against De Lima was strong, even as the lady senator continued to deny having had any hand in the proliferation of illegal drug transactions at the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) during her term as justice secretary.

De Lima was charged for three counts of illegal drug trading under section 5 in relation to Section 3(jj), Section 26(b), and Section 28 of Republic Act (RA) 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, a non-bailable offense.

Those named as her co-accused are her former lover and driver Ronnie Dayan and her nephew Jose Adrian Dera, each facing two counts.

The other co-accused charged with one count each are former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director general Franklin Jesus Bucayu;
Bucayu’s alleged bagman Wilfredo Elli; high-profile Bilibid inmate Jaybee Sebastian; National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Deputy Director Rafael Ragos; and De Lima’s former aide Joenel Sanchez.

The DOJ resolution was dated February 14 and was approved by Prosecutor General Victor Sepulveda, was signed by the DOJ panel of prosecutors composed of Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong, Assistant State Prosecutor Editha Fernandez, and Senior Assistant City Prosecutors Alexander Ramos, Leilia Llanes, and Evangeline Viudez Canobas.

Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo also said De Lima should welcome the drug cases filed against her by the DOJ, as a chance for her to defend herseld and disprove the allegations.

But since the drug cases are non-bailable offenses, the lady senator can be jailed if the charges against her would be proven to be true.

O, e ‘di ‘pag napatunayan na kasama siya sa drugs, e ‘di kulong siya. Matitikman na niya ang pinatikim niya kay Arroyo),” Panel said, as he referred to the case filed against Pampanga 2nd District Representative and former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

He said that when De Lima, was still the head of the DOJ during the time of former President Benigno Aquino III, she allegedly persecuted Arroyo and her husband Jose Miguel Arroyo for their alleged involvement in the reported cheating in the 2007 elections.

The Arroyos were also prevented by De Lima from leaving the country when the former president asked to seek medical treatment abroad.

De Lima has repeatedly denied that she was involved in the illegal drug trade at the NBP, or that she knowingly allowed it to flourish, despite testimonies earlier given by high-profile inmates dealing directly with illegal drugs at tne NBP. The inmates claimed they have even gave De Lima money sourced from drug transaction to fund her senatorial campaign.