Ambassadors were assured that De Lima's cases are moving —Remulla

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla on Wednesday said he had given the ambassadors an assurance that the Philippine courts are not sitting on the drug cases filed against former Senator Leila de Lima. 

Remulla made the statement during the Senate  Committee on Justice and Human Rights organizational meeting when asked by Senator Sonny Angara about the status of the cases following the queries of some members of the diplomatic corps.

"When I meet with ambassadors, I‘ve met with around four ambassadors and at least half of them always ask about the cases against former Senator Leila de Lima. I don’t really know what to say because I don’t know what stage these cases are," Angara said.

"What I wanted to do is give an assurance that these cases are moving and the wheels of justice are grinding in whatever direction they may lead," he added.

Responding to Angara's concern, Remulla said that currently there is one case against the former senator that is already in the presentation of defense evidence and another drug-related case is "almost being terminated" with regard to the presentation of prosecution of evidence.

"There has been a dismissal of a contempt charge and another dismissal was reported to us, but I’m not sure of the case itself, Mr. Chairman," he said.

Remulla then narrated that he was also asked by some ambassadors about De Lima's cases and he told them that these are currently pending before the courts.

"I’ve been asked this question by the members of the diplomatic corps and I have always told them: these are already in the courts and that most of the evidence is there, presented before the courts, and that the DOJ still has evidence to present in one case at least that we know of pending before Muntinlupa, Mr. Chairman," the Justice chief said.

"So these are active cases and we expect hearings to continue within the month of August, Mr. Chair," he added.

Angara then asked Remulla to submit a written report to get an update on the number of cases that are still pending.

"My impression is that the cases are moving and the courts are not sitting on these cases," Angara said.

De Lima has been detained since February 2017 after the DOJ filed three separate cases against her for allegedly abetting the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison from 2010 to 2015.

One of her three cases was dismissed by a Muntinlupa court but the two remaining charges are still pending.

On August 16, De Lima marked the 2000th day of her detention.

In a dispatch shared to the media Tuesday, the former Senator said her continued detention on the basis of evidently and utterly false cases is yet another reminder to the world that the justice system in the Philippines is broken.

"I was detained, and persecuted, because I dared to speak for those who were oppressed against a populist tyrant. And by fabricating spurious charges against me to deplatform and silence me, the former wannabe dictator only proved my point and solidified his status as an oppressor, demonstrating his vindictiveness," she said.

Last week, the Office of the Ombudsman dismissed the direct and indirect bribery charges against her and former bodyguard, Ronnie Dayan, saying it found inconsistencies in the testimonies of self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, Ram-Jhon Michael Espinosa, and Marcelo Adorco as to how the bribe was given and the supposed meeting with De Lima in Baguio City. —KG, GMA News