De Lima camp to file bail ‘soon’

The camp of detained former Senator Leila de Lima on Friday said they will file a supplemental motion for bail for her release within the month.

Atty. Filibon Tacardon, De Lima’s legal counsel, said this was because former Bureau of Corrections officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos has finished his testimony on the recantation of his allegations against De Lima.

“Binawi na ni Deputy Director Ragos ang kanyang salaysay at dahil dito naghahanda kami magsampa ng supplemental motion for bail,” Tacardon said.

(Since Deputy Director Ragos already recanted his testimony, the defense team is now preparing to file a supplemental motion for bail.)

Tacardon issued the remark in an ambush interview following the resumption of the hearing on one of De Lima’s drug cases at the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court.

“Kung titignan natin, ‘yung unang pag-deny ng application for bail ni Senator Leila de Lima sa kasong ito, sinabi ng dating huwes na meron daw ebidensya laban sa kanya at ‘yung ebindesyang tinuturo… ay ‘yung mismong testimonya ni Deputy Director Ragos,” he said.

(If we look at it, the previous denial of Senator Leila de Lima’s application for bail was because the judge said there was evidence against De Lima… and the judge was referring to the testimony of Ragos.)

“Ngayon, ito’y nabawi na... at kung ito ay paniniwalaan ng ating hukuman, ay sa palagay ng defense team, wala nang ebidensya,” he added.

(Now that the testimony has been retracted.... and if the Court believes it, then the defense team thinks there is no longer any evidence.)

Tacardon added they “hope to file it immediately” as there is a hearing scheduled on February 24. De Lima's camp also said that they are also preparing for the motion to dismiss the case.

Ragos recanted his allegations against De Lima back in May, claiming that he was threatened by then-Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre into making false allegations against her.

According to Tacardon, Ragos had affirmed his previous remarks during the hearing.

“Pinanindigan talaga ni Rafael Ragos na lahat ng kanyang mga akusasyon noon kay Senator Leila de Lima ay pawang mga kasinungalingan lamang at ito ay bunga sa sinasabi niyang coercion at pag pre-pressure sa kanya mismo ni Secretary Aguirre,” he said.

(Ragos maintained that all his accusations against Sen. De Lima were lies and that he was coerced and pressured by Secretary Aguirre.)

For his part, Aguirre had denied forcing Ragos to testify. In November 2022, he presented a video that showed Ragos supposedly testifying voluntarily against De Lima.

De Lima has been detained at Camp Crame since 2017 over drug allegations in the New Bilibid Prison. One of the three drug charges against her was junked by the Muntinlupa Court in February last year. She has denied all the allegations against her. —VAL/RSJ/AOL, GMA Integrated News