Longer jail time for De Lima as court sets next hearing on April 21

FROM POLICE SOURCES

Sen. Leila de Lima, facing three illegal drug trade complaints in the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court, will be staying longer at the police headquarters as a court has set the next hearing in April on her motions to dismiss her cases.

Branch 205 Judge Amelia Fabros-Corpuz gave the prosecutors from the Department of Justice (DOJ) 10 days to comment on the senator’s motions to quash and judicial determination of probable cause.

The prosecution was also ordered to reply within 10 days on the motions of Jose Adrian Dera, De Lima’s co-accused in the case, for judicial determination of probable cause and to hold the issuance of warrant of arrest.

The defense, in turn, was given another 10 days to comment on the prosecution’s motion to consolidate the cases.

The next set of hearings has been scheduled for April 21, as work in government offices was suspended during the Holy Week.

According to the DOJ, Dera, a former aide of the senator, demanded  millions and vehicles for De Lima’s senatorial run from convicted drug lord Peter Co.

Last week, the DOJ prosecutors submitted a motion asking Judge Juanita Guerrero of the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 204 to consolidate the cases handled by Branches 205 and 206 and the case in her court into a single case that she alone would try.

De Lima’s counsel previously said the defense would oppose the motion as all three cases would be heard by Guerrero, who ordered the senator’s arrest just three days after the justice department filed the complaint against the lawmaker.

The Supreme Court will hear on Tuesday the motion of De Lima for the high court to review her case and to bar Guerrero from hearing her cases.

They asked the high tribunal to order the inhibition of Guerrero from the case for prejudging it and for grave abuse of discretion in issuing the arrest warrant with “undue haste and inordinate interest.”

The three cases arose from complaints brought by the National Bureau of Investigation and Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption based on testimonies during the House of Representatives’ inquiry into the alleged illegal drug trade in New Bilibid Prison during De Lima’s tenure as secretary of justice. RAM/rga