De Lima orders probe on 5-year delay in drug suspect’s case

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Justice Secretary Leila De Lima ordered an investigation on the five-year delay in the case of a drug suspect who the Court of Appeals has ordered released calling the case an “ugly dent on the Department of Justice’s integrity as an institution.”

At the same time, she said they will install remedial measures to avoid a repetition of such an incident.

Joanne Urbina has been in detention for more than five years without a case being filed against her. She was only released upon orders of the Court of Appeals on June 14, Friday, at 10 in the evening.

“I am aghast as the Court of Appeals is about that case. It’s indeed an unfortunate and deplorable case of violation of the constitutional and human rights of the respondent concerned, the petitioner [Urbina]. I’m poised to seriously investigate that matter as directed by the Court of Appeals in order to determine accountabilities,” De Lima said adding the investigation will be conducted by the DoJ’s Internal Affairs Unit.

“As likewise directed by the Court of Appeals, we will be installing soonest remedial measures to avoid repetition of such inexcusable incident of obstinate delay of filing the proper information in the court,” De Lima added.

Then 25-year-old Urbina, together with a certain Ben Ryan Chua, was arrested by the Philippine National Police Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force on Dec. 14, 2007.

On January 25, 2008, the case against Chua was dismissed while Urbina was left detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame since then.

This year, Urbina filed a petition for habeas corpus with the Court of Appeals which prompted the Department of Justice (DoJ) to file the case in court against Urbina. The case filed by the DoJ was revoked by the appeals court.

“I’ve learned about the case only when we received last May 17 a copy of the temporary restraining order issued by the Court of Appeals relative to Urbina’s petition for certiorari and habeas corpus.

Please note that the case started way back in 2008, or before my entry. I’m not offering an excuse. As a matter of fact, as head of the institution, I also feel responsible and I’m taking full responsibility for this ugly dent on DoJ’s integrity as an institution,” De Lima said.