The Court of Appeals (CA) has nullified the acquittal of former Senator Leila de Lima and her former aide Ronnie Dayan in a drug-related case, ordering a retrial at the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC).
The appellate court ruled that the RTC committed grave abuse of discretion in dismissing the case without sufficient legal and factual basis.
This decision revives the nearly decade-long legal battle involving De Lima’s alleged involvement in illegal drug operations at the New Bilibid Prison during her tenure as Justice Secretary.
The CA specifically criticized the lower court’s failure to thoroughly examine the retraction of testimony by former Bureau of Corrections officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos, who initially claimed to have delivered drug money to De Lima but later recanted.
According to the court, the RTC failed to properly assess the credibility of Ragos’ retraction and also neglected to consider the testimonies of other prosecution witnesses.
The CA emphasized that court decisions must be clearly justified under the Constitution, asserting that the RTC’s ruling violated due process and cannot be considered a valid acquittal.
Furthermore, the appellate court rejected De Lima’s legal team’s argument that the retrial constitutes double jeopardy, explaining that because the original acquittal was void, the case can be reopened.
The case has now been remanded to the Muntinlupa RTC for a new trial.
It will be recalled that De Lima, one of the most vocal critics of former President Rodrigo Duterte, was detained for nearly six years before being granted temporary liberty on bail last year.