(Eagle News) — The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court on Thursday issued a warrant of arrest for Senator Leila de Lima, an act her lawyer quickly described as “irregular” and “insulting.”
The warrant was issued by Presiding Judge Juanita Guerrero of Branch 204, who is hearing one of three criminal cases filed against the senator in connection with her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.
Branch 205 Judge Amelia Fabros-Corpuz and Branch 206 Judge Patria Manalastas-de Leon are hearing the other two cases.
“After a careful evaluation of the herein information and all the evidence presented during the preliminary investigation conducted in this case by the Department of Justice, Manila, the court finds sufficient probable cause for the issuance of (the warrant of arrest)…,” the judge said, recommending no bail for the senator.
Also ordered arrested were De Lima’s former lover and alleged bagman Ronnie Dayan, and former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos.
De Lima has yet to issue a statement, but in an interview over CNN Philippines, Alex Padilla, her legal counsel, called the issuance of the warrant an “irregular” act that is “insulting.”
“To me, it’s (that). If you want to issue a warrant, you should have done it in the first instance when charges were filed…She scheduled it for hearing but issued a warrant nonetheless,” he said.
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, a lawyer, however, said the judge could still issue a warrant even when the motion to quash filed by De Lima’s camp was pending, and was scheduled to be heard on Friday.
“Our system is actually already improving. Once the information is filed, the issuance of the arrest warrant is almost automatic(ally done),” he said.
He added it was the court’s discretion to decide where De Lima should be detained.
“For me, based on her actuations, (she should be detained) in the mental hospital. It’s like she’s losing her mind,” Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said.