De Lima seeks bail in illegal drug case
Detained Senator Leila M. de Lima filed another motion for bail in another case involving drug trafficking.
In a 138-page motion, the senator told a Muntinlupa City trial court she was entitled to provisional release because the evidence against her is weak.
Ms. de Lima argued the felon-witnesses used by the prosecution were “not credible and disinterested witnesses,” having been convicted of crimes involving “moral turpitude.”
Some of their testimonies were inconsistent and contradicted other evidence on record, Ms. de Lima said.
She said only 17 of the 37 listed witnesses had been presented by the prosecution to the court.
None of the witnesses have personal knowledge or involvement in the alleged drug trade in prison, she said. The senator also said she did not seek to evade prosecution.
Ms. De Lima and her former aide Ronnie P. Dayan were accused of conspiring to commit illegal drug trade in prison worth more than P10 million.
Mr. Ragos was dropped from the amended information in November 2017, nine months after the charges were file.
The senator has been detained since February 2017 after she was accused of pocketing millions from the illegal drug trade in prison when she was still Justice secretary. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas
