Remulla on De Lima’s acquittal: Rule of law has prevailed

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday welcomed the acquittal of detained former Senator Leila de Lima in one of her two remaining drug cases.

"The rule of law has prevailed, and it just points out to us that the independence of the judiciary is a basic foundation of our democratic system," Remulla said in an ambush interview.

"It’s good. It’s good for us. It just proves that things are working in our country," he added.

Remulla said he has yet to see the decision, but that it could have gone either way.

"It just means that democracy is working," he said.

Earlier, the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204 acquitted De Lima and her co-accused and former bodyguard Ronnie Dayan on the ground of reasonable doubt.

When asked if the prosecutors of the Department of Justice will appeal the decision, Remulla said there have to be exceptional circumstances where one can appeal an acquittal.

"An acquittal is an acquittal. It has to be for exceptional circumstances where you file that kind of pleading after an acquittal. So, we’ll see," he said.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin also said that the decision of the judge should be respected. 

"Yung pag-acquit ng isang judge respetuhin natin dahil ang judge lang ang naka-aral sa ebidensya…Wala akong masabi kundi purihin natin yung judge," he said in an ambush interview.

(Let’s respect the acquittal decision by the judge because only the judge has studied the evidence. There is nothing else I can say, but we should praise the judge.)

According to Bersamin, the acquittal of De Lima showed that the justice system in the Philippines is working.

"Si Senator De Lima, that’s another victory in her camp. That is justice system working," he said.

De Lima’s remaining case is pending at the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 256, where she has sought to post bail and is awaiting the decision of the court.

In February 2021, the Muntinlupa City RTC Branch 205 junked one of the three drug cases against De Lima, who has repeatedly denied the charges filed by the Duterte administration. —with Joviland Rita/ VAL, GMA Integrated News