Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 13) — Three co-accused in the drug case against former senator Leila de Lima filed separate motions on Tuesday asking Judge Romeo Buenaventura to inhibit himself from the case.
The motions filed by Ronnie Dayan, Joenel Sanchez, and Franklin Bucayu said Buenaventura failed to disclose he is the brother of a lawyer who represented Dayan.In his motion, Sanchez said news had surfaced that the judge’s brother Emmanuel Buenaventura assisted Dayan in the execution of his affidavit which the accused later said to be coerced.From the start, the Honorable Presiding Judge never disclosed his relationship with Atty. Emannuel S. Buenaventura, whereas the same is so relevant and material to his impartiality and appearance of impartiality in presiding over this case,” said Sanchez in the motion, adding not mentioning the relationship was a “question to his impartiality and cold neutrality.Meanwhile, Dayan said in his motion that this was a “clear case of conflict of interest.The Honorable Presiding Judge committed gross negligence, if not gross misconduct, in not declaring that fact that he is the brother of Atty. Emmanuel S. Buenaventura,” he said.De Lima’s camp has not given a comment on the motions filed by Sanchez, Dayan, and Bucayu.
