Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 13) — A Muntinlupa court has granted the bail plea of former Senator Leila de Lima in her last remaining drug case, a move that will allow the staunch critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on drugs to walk free after more than six years in detention.
De Lima’s lawyer, Atty. Boni Tacardon confirmed the news on Monday, adding “makakalabas today [she will be released today]” when asked if de Lima would be able to leave the detention facility.
“Wherefore, premises considered, the respective Motions for Reconsideration of the concerned accused are GRANTED,” read the decision of Judge Gener M. Gito of Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court branch 206. “Thus, the Order of the Court dated 07 June 2023, is RECONSIDERED. Consequently, accused De Lima, Bucayu, Dayan, Sanchez and Dera are ALLOWED to post bail in the amount of THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND (₱300,000.00) each.”
Following the release of the decision, De Lima went live on Facebook and was greeted with cheers by supporters as she was escorted by police out of the Muntinlupa City Hall of Justice.
“For more than six long years I have been praying so hard for this day to come. Napakasakit ang makulong ng wala kang kasalanan. Ayaw kong mangyari ito sa iba. I don’t want to be sad or bitter today. This is a moment of triumph and thanksgiving,” she told media and those gathered at the site.
[Translation: For more than six long years I have been praying so hard for this day to come. It hurts to be imprisoned when you are innocent. I do not want this to happen to anyone else. I don’t want to be sad or bitter today. This is a moment of triumph and thanksgiving.]
De Lima also thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration for “respecting the independence of the judiciary and rule of law.”
Philippine National Police spokesperson PCol Jean Fajardo said De Lima may be released within the day if all processes for her release are completed. The PNP has yet to receive the court order.
The court also allowed the four other co-accused in the case to post P300,000 bail each. They are former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Chief Franklin Bucayu, De Lima’s former bodyguard Ronnie Dayan, Joenel Sanchez and Jad Dera
The grant of bail comes nearly a month after two more witnesses recanted their testimonies against the former lawmaker.
Former police officers Rodolfo Magleo and Nonilo Arile told the former senator that they were recanting their testimonies “for several reasons with the primordial objective – to help you both to be set free together with your fellow co-accused.”
Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court branch 204 earlier acquitted de Lima in her second drug charge in May 2023. Prior to that, in 2021, De Lima was also acquitted in one of the three drug charges filed against her by the Duterte administration.
De Lima has been in detention for more than six years over allegations she benefited from the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison while she headed the Department of Justice, with the drug money supposedly used to finance her senatorial campaign in 2016.
De Lima has consistently denied the allegations, saying the charges were fabricated by the Duterte administration to silence her.
This story will be updated.