‘No reason for De Lima to celebrate’

MANILA, Philippines — There is no reason for Sen. Leila de Lima to celebrate despite the dismissal of one of three drug cases filed against her, Malacañang said yesterday.

“She remains in jail because she is still facing two drug cases. So why should she celebrate when she is still in her jail cell?” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said at a press briefing.

The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 205 has dismissed De Lima’s case with co-accused Jose Dera, who allegedly asked money from convicted drug dealers in the national penitentiary to finance her senatorial campaign in 2016.

The court did not dismiss De Lima’s case with co-accused Ronnie Dayan, her former driver who was accused of collecting drug money for the former justice secretary.

De Lima described the dismissal of one of her cases as a “victory.”

The camp of De Lima is planning to present Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año as one of her witnesses in the two pending drug cases against her.

Rolly Peoro, lawyer for De Lima, said Año could prove that the senator had no hand in the illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) when she was justice secretary.

Peoro said Año was among those involved in a raid on the NBP in 2014 as then head of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Senators are hoping that the other drug charges against De Lima will soon be dismissed.

“From the beginning, it is clear that the accusations against Senator De Lima are fabricated and baseless,” Sen. Francis Pangilinan said.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said De Lima’s acquittal showed that the justice system works.

Security remains tight for De Lima at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center where she is being held. — Cecille Suerte Felipe, Ghio Ong, Emmanuel Tupas, Pia Lee-Brago