De Lima’s coaccused nabbed

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested a coaccused of detained opposition Sen. Leila de Lima in two drug charges in his house in Angeles, Pampanga, on Friday morning.

Jose Adrian “Jad” Dera was arrested on his 30th birthday by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued in 2017 by Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 205.

The accused evaded authorities for two years, according to the NBI.

NBI spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin said Dera reportedly received money from New Bilibid Prison inmate Peter Co, which the accused delivered to De Lima.

Of the 18 people accused, including former Bureau of Corrections chief Franklin Bucayu, Dera was the only one who remained at large.

Months of surveillance

NBI-Special Task Force chief Gerald Geralde said it took months of surveillance and stakeout before Dera was arrested in Barangay Balibago, Angeles, Pampanga, at 5:30 a.m.

The camp of De Lima considered Dera’s arrest a positive development that may lead to her exoneration in the drug cases against her.

“We welcome this development so that Dera himself could prove before the court the lies [coming from the senator’s detractors],” said lawyer Filibon Tacardon during a hearing on Friday at the Muntinlupa RTC.