Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 15) — Former Senator Leila de Lima’s camp on Monday lambasted former President Rodrigo Duterte for “authoring” her persecution following her acquittal in one of her two remaining drug cases filed against her by the previous administration.
“Mahilig talaga magsinungaling si former President Rodrigo Duterte (President Rodrigo Duterte really likes telling lies). He’s revising history. Everyone knows for a fact that he authored this. He said ‘De Lima, you are finished.’ He said ‘You will rot in jail’,” De Lima’s legal counsel Dino de Leon told CNN Philippines’ The Source.
On Saturday, Duterte said the decision of a Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) to acquit De Lima in her second drug case should be accepted. He maintained that he had nothing to do with the drug cases filed against one of his staunchest critics.
De Lima has been in detention since February 2017 for allegedly benefitting from the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison, and using the money from the trade to fund her 2016 senatorial campaign.
In August 2016, Duterte said in a news conference “Tapos ka na” (you are finished) when asked about the De Lima-led inquiry into the killings of drug suspects.
The former chief executive also said he was validating a “matrix” showing De Lima’s connection with drug lords in the national penitentiary. The Department of Justice—led by then led by Duterte appointee Vitaliano Aguirre II—said there were witnesses who would testify against De Lima
In October 2016, Duterte said during his state visit to China that based on the testimonies, De Lima “will rot in jail.”
“Let’s not fool the Filipino people. It was Rodrigo Duterte and his cohorts during his administration who authored this. He has everything to do with the persecution of Leila de Lima,” De Leon said.
According to De Lima’s lawyer Boni Tacardon, the recantation of former Bureau of Corrections officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos, who claimed he was “coerced” by Aguirre, was vital in the acquittal.
Prior to this, one of De Lima’s drug charges was dismissed in 2021.
A third case is pending before Muntinlupa RTC Branch 256.
