De Lima wants judge who acquitted her to inhibit

Detained Sen. Leila de Lima has asked Judge Liezel Aquiatan of the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court Branch 205 to recuse herself from her trial, even after the same judge acquitted her in one of her three drug cases.

In a 49-page motion for voluntary inhibition filed by her lawyers on Thursday, De Lima said Aquiatan committed “blatant errors” in handling Criminal Case No. 17-165.

It was Aquiatan who acquitted De Lima for the nonbailable conspiracy to commit drug trading at CCN 17-166 on Feb. 17, due to insufficient evidence.

Aquiatan, however, junked the senator’s demurrer and bail bids at CCN 17-165. She ordered the trial to proceed. —Dexter Cabalza