Aguirre okay with gag order request for De Lima drug cases

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II is not against the move of his prosecutors to ask a Muntinlupa City court to prevent him and other parties from talking about the drug trading cases against Senator Leila De Lima in public.

"Of course. No problem with me," Aguirre said in a text message on Monday.

In requesting for the gag order from the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court Branch 204 last Friday, government prosecutors laid down the sub judice rule.

The rule restricts comments and disclosures regarding judicial proceedings to avoid prejudging the issue, influencing the court, or obstructing the administration of justice.

Under Section 3 (d) Rule 71 of the Rules of Court, a violator may be held liable for indirect contempt.

Aguirre said the rule covers all cases, including those imbued with public interest such as De Lima's case.

"There is no exception to it," he said.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo has also backed the prosecutors' move, saying De Lima is using the media "to besmirch the reputation" of President Rodrigo Duterte.

De Lima, however, refused to be gagged.

In a handwritten statement released on Sunday, De Lima said: "I refused to be gagged."

"Gagging me would be a violation of my rights. They cannot continue violating my rights. I shall continue to speak up on issues that matter," she wrote.

The senator said the gag order request was proof that her arrest and detention are aimed to silence her dissent against the Duterte administration. — RSJ, GMA News