Sen. Leila De Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
Senator Leila De Lima will no longer have the opportunity to respond to the criminal complaint filed against her for alleged links to the illegal drug transactions inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
This after the Department of Justice (DOJ) denied her motion asking the DOJ to inhibit from handling the four complaints filed against her. She sought the inhibition citing the DOJ’s alleged bias against her and that being a public official, it was the Office of the Ombudsman who has jurisdiction over her.
“No other pleadings shall be submitted [from here on]… these cases are now submitted for resolution,” said Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong, panel chairman, during the hearing on Wednesday.
The complaints against De Lima included violations of Republic Act (RA) No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act), qualified bribery under the Revised Penal Code, RA 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), Presidential Decree 46 (Act Punishing the Receiving and Giving of Gifts of Public Officials and Employees) and RA 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees).
Ong told De Lima’s lawyer Atty. Filibon Tacardon that the senator was given enough time to submit her counter-affidavit. He also berated the lawyer for asking copies of the complaints and annexes that their camp has already filed as well as similar motions filed by the other respondents.
“If she (De Lima) attended the first hearing instead of sending a messenger, she wouldn’t have had this problem,” Ong said.
The first preliminary investigation was last Dec. 2. De Lima was also absent. No lawyer appeared on her behalf. Only a messenger appeared to get a copy of the complaint.
Aside from De Lima, her former driver and lover Ronnie Dayan also failed to appear before the DOJ and submit his counter-affidavit.
Other respondents led by former Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III, former BuCor OIC Rafael Ragos, De Lima’s former security aide Jonel Sanchez and NBP inmate Jaybee Sebastian submitted their counter-affidavits in denial of the charges, although Sebastian’s has yet to be signed and personally subscribed. RAM
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