Another Muntinlupa judge inhibits from De Lima drug case

Another Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge has inhibited from hearing the illegal drug charges filed against detained Senator Leila de Lima.

Muntinlupa RTC Branch 203 Judge Myra Bayot-Quiambao issued the inhibition order noting her “very close relationship” with a member of the prosecution panel.

Judge Quiambao said Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Leila Llanes was not only her law school classmate but also the godparent for baptism and confirmation of her two children.

Quiambao added that Llanes was also with her at the hospital when her husband, State Prosecutor Nolibien Quiambao, died last February 2017. The judge even described Llanes as “like family to her.”

The judge also admitted that majority of the members of prosecution panel were her friends, being her late husband’s colleagues in the Department of Justice (DOJ).

“The undersigned (Quiambao) is voluntarily inhibiting herself from this case. Let the entire records of this case be immediately forwarded to the Office of the Clerk of Court – Regional Trial Court for re-raffle,” Quimbao’s order dated January 23 read.

De Lima’s drug case was re-raffled to Quiambao after Muntinlupa RTC Branch 204 Judge Juanita Guerrero also inhibited herself.

Guerrero said she inhibited herself “in order not to cast doubt on the integrity and impartiality of the presiding judge and to disabuse the mind of the accused and her counsel who have expressed serious doubts on her objectivity in resolving this case due to the adverse orders issued against her.” /muf