De Lima thanks DOJ, but asks: What to do with abusive prosecutors?
Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima —Photo from House of Representatives.
MANILA, Philippines — While she thanks the Department of Justice (DOJ) for formally withdrawing the motion for reconsideration on an already-dismissed drug-related case, Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima is asking what can be done against abusive prosecutors.
De Lima in a statement on Wednesday — after news broke out that Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla had ordered the withdrawal of the motion — said that the DOJ must investigate and sanction the prosecutors who wanted to continue pursuing the case against her.
De Lima, a former senator, faced three drug-related cases during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte, but all three were dismissed. One of the three courts released a revised decision, which still acquitted de Lima, but the DOJ appealed it.
“I thank and commend SOJ Remulla for bringing sense and order to the unethical actuations of Provincial Prosecutor Ramoncito Bienvenido Ocampo Jr. and his Panel,” de Lima said.
“While it is good to hear from no less than SOJ Remulla that these prosecutors were engaging in ‘foolishness’ to forward a political agenda and that ‘they will take over the case and move for the case’s dismissal,’ and based on the latest news report, he has in fact ordered the withdrawal of the MR, the question remains as to what should be done with these prosecutors who have abused our justice system for far too long? I call on the Justice Department to properly investigate and sanction them,” she added.
Earlier, Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon confirmed that Remulla indeed instructed to stop pursuing the case against de Lima and withdraw a motion seeking a reversal of the former senator’s acquittal.
“Yes, we spoke about it and instructions have been given to the panel head to immediately cause the withdrawal of the MR,” Fadullon said.
READ: Prosecutors to withdraw motion to reverse De Lima acquittal
Fadullon said the panel will file the motion to withdraw within the week.
According to de Lima, their own assessment “reflects the facts” given by Remulla — that prosecutors are acting “on the basis of a political agenda,” being closely aligned with former President Rodrigo Duterte.
De Lima has been a staunch critic of the Dutertes, initiating a probe on the elder Duterte’s drug war in Davao and the Philippines — first as a Commission on Human Rights chief, then as Justice secretary, and as senator.
She believes the drug-related cases were merely borne out of political vendetta.
“They have been doing so for the past 7 years. Insofar as my case is concerned, they still answer to the Duterte cabal, like many in the government who are still loyal to FPRRD. By accepting promotions in exchange for their loyalty to Duterte, they have compromised their (government) positions and continue to serve not the DOJ, but FPRRD,” de Lima said.
“Sec. Remulla and PG Fadullon should deal with these remnants of the Duterte administration whose loyalty lies not with the DOJ, but with Duterte. They are seriously compromising the DOJ and the NPS (National Prosecution Service) under Remulla’s watch,” she added.
De Lima said anyone will be at risk of abuse from these prosecutors if they are not reprimanded.
“I was incarcerated for almost seven years with the help and cooperation of these prosecutors who seem to have no conscience in degrading not only my dignity, but also the country’s legal system. Will we simply allow that?” she asked.
“If they are allowed to get away scot-free with what they have done, no one is safe. They should be made to account for what they have done,” she pointed out.
De Lima was elected senator in the 2016 national elections, ranking 12th in the senatorial race. However, after being critical of Duterte’s drug war even when he de Lima was accused by the ex-leader as being linked to the drug trade, and an “immoral woman.”
In February 2017, the DOJ filed criminal charges against de Lima for supposedly allowing the drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison to prosper, and for allegedly receiving payoffs from drug lords. The former senator was then arrested on February 24, 2017 and was detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center inside Camp Crame, Quezon City.
READ: Timeline: The ordeal of Leila de Lima
De Lima, however, was acquitted in all three drug-related cases, with the last case being dismissed in June 2024. But prior to that, the former senator was released from detention in November 2023 — after almost seven years of incarceration — as the court granted her bail petition. /apl
