Court grants ex-senator De Lima, four others bail in drug case
A court allowed former Senator Leila de Lima and four others to post bail of P300,000 each in her remaining case regarding alleged drug trade at the New Bililid Prisons when she was justice secretary.
This ends six years and eight months of detention at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center for de Lima.
After the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court Presiding Judge Gener Gito granted her petition to post bail in her remaining drug case, de Lima cried.
A video from the office of De Lima showed that her lawyer Felibon Tacardon and Christian Monsod, relatives, and friends hugged her when the motion was granted.
In an order released on Monday, Gito granted bail to De Lima and her co-accused former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director Franklin Jesus Bucayu, Ronnie Dayan, Joenel Sanchez, and Jose Adrian Dera.
“Wherefore, premises considered, the respective Motions for Reconsideration of the concerned accused are granted. Thus, the Order of the Court dated June 07, 2023, is reconsidered. Consequently, accused De Lima, Bucayu, Dayan, Sanchez, and Dera are allowed to post bail in the amount of three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000) each," the decision read.
Tacardon said De Lima will be granted temporary freedom after almost seven years of detention once the release order is issued.
He told Daily Manila Shimbun in a text message that the lawyers ''are waiting in court for its release.''
“What is important is that Senator Leila De Lima will be able to get the justice she rightfully deserves and that her almost seven years of detention stops today,” he said.
“She will just return to the (PNP) Custodial Center solely for the purpose of processing her release. She still has to process some medical papers and other documents,” he added.
De Lima faced the public, surrounded by police, as she left the court room.
“At last, I can be free. For years, my whole being has been crying out for justice and freedom. For more than six years, I’ve been praying. Praying hard for this day to come. You know, it really hurts to be detained when you are not guilty of anything and I do not want this to happen to others,” she said.
“But I don’t want to be sad or bitter today. This is a moment of triumphant thanksgiving,” she said.
De Lima thanked her friends and family for their love and her lawyers “for all their sacrifices and hard work”.
She also expressed gratitude to Gito and the Marcos administration.
“I want to thank honorable Judge Gener Gito for his faithfulness to the law and justice,” she said.
“I also want to thank the BBM (Bong Bong Marcos) administration for respecting the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law,” she adde.
In a press conference, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Col. Fajardo said they are waiting to receive a copy of the release order.
“We will have to wait to officially receive the copy of the release order…Hopefully, we will receive it within the day. If the process will be finished, then our (former) senator will be released upon the court’s order,” Fajardo said. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
