(UPDATE) Muntinlupa court orders arrest of de Lima

February 23, 2017

The Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court on Thursday ordered the arrest of Senator Leila De Lima after finding probable case to issue a warrant in connection with drug trafficking charges filed against her last Friday.

Also ordered arrested by Judge Juanita Guerrero of Muntinlupa City RTC, Branch 204, were former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer-in-charge and National Bureau of Investigation Deputy Director Rafael Marcos Ragos and de Lima’s former driver Ronnie Palisoc Dayan.

“After a careful evaluation of the herein information and all the evidence presented during the preliminary investigation conducted in this case by the Department of Justice  . . . the Court finds sufficient probable cause for the issuance of warrant of arrest against all the accused Leila de Lima, Rafael Marcos Z. Ragos and Ronnie Palisoc Dayan,” the order stated.

De Lima, in a statement, said this caught her by surprise. She was in the Senate attending a hearing of the public order committee, when this happened. She went to her office where she met with senators belonging to the Liberal Party.

After around two hours, de Lima said she was going home where she will meet and her family and prepare her things before presenting herself to the authorities Friday.

“I will wait for the arresting team. I will wait for them, I will surrender to them but now, i want to be with my family at home,” said de Lima in a brief statement before leaving the Senate.

De Lima is facing a case for violation of Section 5 (sale) in relation to Section 3 (jj trading), Section 26 (b) and Section 28 or the criminal liability of government officials and employees of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Malacanang said de Lima will now have her “day in court”.

"Senator de Lima will now have her day in court where she will have full opportunity to  prove her claim of innocence," said Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

“The issuance of a warrant for the arrest of Senator De Lima is a major step forward in the Administration’s anti-drug war.  It is a fulfillment of the campaign promise of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to rid Philippine society of drugs, crime and corruption,” said Abella.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said De Lima should welcome this development herself as "she is now given the opportunity to refute any and all allegations and/or evidence to be presented by the prosecution against her."

"This is where the real battle begins and not in the media that she relishes to use against the President. The rule of law, as President (Rodrigo) Duterte keeps on harping every time he has the opportunity, must prevail," he said.

Panelo said what has been happening to De Lima is a "karma," as he recalled what the former justice secretary did to former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when she was arrested in the airport. Celerina Monte/DMS