Muntinlupa court denies appeal vs. De Lima’s final acquittal

A Muntinlupa court has denied the appeal filed by prosecutors against the dismissal of the final drug case against former senator Leila de Lima.

In a 4-page order, the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 206 denied the prosecution’s motion for reconsideration against the court’s decision to grant De Lima’s demurrer to evidence, which effectively dismissed her case.  

“The prosecution… did not even ascribe grave abuse of discretion on the part of the Court. It did not even cite any instance in the Court’s order that in having such kind of conclusion, the Court encroached into the area of grave abuse of discretion,” the RTC said.

“Having failed to cite any instance of grave abuse of discretion on the part of the Court, which is the only thoroughfare to vacating a judgment of acquittal, there is therefore no reason for this Court to reconsider its order,” it added.

The order, dated August 7, was penned by Presiding Judge Gener Gito.

GMA News Online has sought comment from the prosecution but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.

The RTC had granted De Lima’s demurrer to evidence in June, clearing the former senator of all drug charges. It said the prosecution failed to prove the guilt of all accused beyond reasonable doubt.  

De Lima was accused of benefiting financially from the alleged illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison during her stint as Justice secretary. 

Her first acquittal came in February 2021 when the Muntinlupa City RTC-Branch 205 junked one of the three cases against her.

In May 2023, the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 204 acquitted De Lima and Ronnie Dayan, her co-accused and former bodyguard, of an illegal drug trading charge on the grounds of reasonable doubt.

The former senator was freed on bail in November 2023 after being detained in Camp Crame since February 2017 over drug allegations. — BM, GMA Integrated News