Muntinlupa court junks drug case vs De Lima, denies her plea for dismissal in another

(Eagle News) — A Muntinlupa court on Wednesday, Feb. 17, granted Senator Leila de Lima’s plea for one of three drug cases filed against her to be junked.

While Judge Liezel Aquiatan of Branch 205 granted De Lima’s demurrer to evidence in her case involving Jose Adrian Dera, she denied the detained senator’s demurrer to evidence and petition for bail in the case involving her bodyguard Ronnie Dayan.

An accused who files a demurrer to evidence seeks the dismissal of a case due to weak prosecution evidence.

The accused files the motion after the prosecution has rested its case.

The grant of a demurrer to evidence is tantamount to an acquittal.

With the denial of the demurrer to evidence in the Dayan case, the judge is in effect saying the prosecution has presented sufficient evidence to sustain a verdict.

In that case, the prosecution alleged De Lima and Dayan received proceeds from the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison.

In a statement, De Lima maintained her innocence in the Dayan case, saying she would file a motion for reconsideration.

“Wala ring napatunayang pera, ni isang kusing, na napunta sa akin mula sa bentahan ng ilegal na droga. Puro tsismis. Puro haka-haka lang,” she said.

De Lima is facing a third drug case before Branch 256 of the Muntinlupa RTC. With a report from Meanne Corvera