A Muntinlupa City court on Wednesday, June 7, denied the bail petitions of detained former Senator Leila De Lima and her co-accused in an illegal drugs trading case.
In a 35-page order, Presiding Judge Romeo Buenaventura of Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 256 denied the petition for bail of De Lima; her former driver Ronnie Dayan; former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director Franklin Jesus Bucayu; her former security aide Joenel Sanchez; and Jose Adrian Dera.
In denying the bail petitions, Buenaventura stated that “the Court is convinced that the guilt against all the above-named accused for the crime of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading is strong.”
Under the case, the accused allegedly received around P70 million from 2013 to 2015 that was collected from illegal drugs trade earnings at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.
“The Court finds that the prosecution was able to prove prima facie the agreement and decision to commit illegal drug trading among the accused by evidence that NBP inmates were used – the overt act – to sell and trade dangerous drugs by means of mobile phones and other electronic devices, through direct proof, that is, the testimonies of the co-conspirators themselves, which are straightforward, positive, and interlocking in material details,” said Buenaventura.
The magistrate was also not compelled with the appeal of De Lima that she be granted bail based on humanitarian grounds due to her age as a senior citizen and her several health issues.
“The accused herself admitted that though she is already a senior citizen and has several health issues, she is not suffering from any serious or life-threatening health condition,” said the judge who assured that he will immediately grant her motions for medical furloughs.
Although the evidence of guilt is strong, Buenaventura clarified “the Court does not in any way prejudge what the final outcome of the case will be.”
“The culpability or innocence of the accused will still be decided on the basis of all the evidence presented by the parties and only after the trial on the merits of the case,” he stated.
