Leila to be treated as private citizen in drug case

MANILA, Philippines - Detained Sen. Leila de Lima will be treated as a private citizen in the charges of drug trafficking, prosecutors of the Department of Justice (DOJ) said.

Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Alexander Ramos said De Lima and co-accused Jose Adrian Dera committed the offense when she had already resigned as justice secretary.

Judge Amelia Fabros-Corpuz of the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 205, who issued another arrest warrant for the senator on drug trafficking charges, said De Lima was no longer justice secretary when the offense was alleged committed.

Fabros issued the arrest warrant against De Lima on June 21. The senator is currently detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center facing drug trafficking charges for her involvement in the illegal drug operations at the New Bilibid Prison.

The new charges stemmed from the sworn statement submitted by convicted drug offender Peter Co who claimed De Lima and Dera had “demanded, solicited and extorted” money from him in exchange for the release of his niece Sally under threat of being charged for illegal drugs.

Co said Dera acted on behalf of De Lima in receiving the initial P2 million from the P5-million demand.

He said Dera then seized his four vehicles and used them for De Lima’s senatorial campaign. Co also accused Dera as having gotten from Sally the additional P3 million he demanded to finance De Lima’s election bid.

De Lima’s lawyer Alexander Padilla said the charges had no basis.

“Dera denied knowing Senator Leila and there’s clearly no trail of the supposed vehicles and the alleged campaign donation that would have any link to Senator Leila. It’s the weakest case for the prosecution,” Padilla said.