Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 5) — Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 304 has ordered the transfer of Jad Dera, a co-accused of former Senator Leila de Lima in her drug case, from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Detention Facility to the Muntinlupa City Jail.
In a memorandum signed July 3, Presiding Judge Abraham Joseph Alcantara granted the request of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and issued a commitment order to transfer Dera to Muntinlupa.
It was made “due to the impending demolition of the NBI Detention Facility” for the building of new infrastructure in the site, the document read.
The Muntinlupa City Jail Male Dormitory shall take “custody of the said accused during the pendency of the case and until further orders from the Court,” he noted.
Alcantara also directed authorities to escort Dera to the Senate to attend a hearing by the Committee on Justice and Human Rights set on July 5.
Dera’s transfer was made after he, along with five NBI security officers and an employee, were found in a van outside of the agency’s compound in June.
NBI security officer Randy Godoy, one of those who escorted the detainee, claimed that he got his superior’s approval to bring Dera to a hospital for a check-up. He also admitted they had dinner in Makati.
READ: NBI detention center chief sacked after De Lima’s co-accused found outside facility – DOJ
DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano earlier said that Dera had been enjoying privileges in exchange for “hundreds of thousands [of pesos] as payment.”
An investigation is ongoing to look into the incident, the DOJ official said.
