MANILA, Philippines — Following recantations from two star witnesses, new Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla says he has dropped charges against the jailed opposition senator Leila de Lima is possible “if it is the only recourse”.
“It’s the last resort, after review, if it’s the only resort, it’s possible – anything is possible – but I would let the [prosecutors] do their job,” Remulla said in a Talking about Rappler maintenance.
It’s a never-before-seen expression of openness from outgoing justice secretary Menardo Guevarra, who had so far stood firm on their case, saying retractions should be left to the court’s judgment.
While Remulla also noted that the case is a “legal matter” and that he has the “utmost respect” for prosecutors, he also said, “But we have to keep our eyes peeled for people who might not. not behave properly”.
Unlike Guevarra who prefers to take hands-off approach over allegations that senior officials in his department conspired to coerce witnesses against De Lima, Remulla said he would conduct an internal investigation.
“There will be a study of everything. I know it’s not just the Philippines watching us, it’s the world watching us. We will do what needs to be done,” Remulla said.
Legislators from different parts of the world, including European Union legislators, ASEAN Legislatorsand US Senatorscalled on the Philippine government to dismiss what they said were politically motivated cases against De Lima and release her.
So far the star witness, former head of corrections Raphael Ragosand co-respondent Ronnie Dayan retracted their previous testimonies. Kerwin Espinosa, alleged Visayan drug lord, who had accused De Lima of the same crimes during congressional investigations, also withdrew. All said they had been threatened and harassed to testify against the senator, a fierce critic of President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Let the tokens fall where they may, the retractions are there, they are part of the case law. Perhaps you are already aware of this – the most common line is that retractions are frowned upon by the courts. As I said before, this is a red flag. It makes you review how everything was handled,” Remulla added.
De Lima has been in prison for five years or since February 24, 2017, just seven months after she was elected senator.
A retraction in the Espinosa case
De Lima’s legal team was informed recently that in 2020, Marcelo Adorco, a government witness in a separate case against Espinosa, made a retraction mentioning De Lima.
Adorco is the government’s star witness against Espinosa, the first target of Duterte’s anti-drug campaign. The Espinosa house was raided in August 2016, the basis of possible court cases. Kerwin went into hiding, while his father, former mayor Rolando Espinosa, rendered. But the elder Espinosa was killed while in prison in an operation that was one of the first to shine national spotlight on the irregularities of Duterte’s war on drugs.
Adorco, which is supposed to be the runner of the Espinosa network, has always been a weak point in cases, forgetting details within minutes on the witness stand. His inconsistent statements caused the charges to be dropped against Espinosa and another alleged Visayan drug lord, Peter Lim. Lim is still in hiding, while Kerwin Espinosa is in jail.
Adorco was never a witness against De Lima, either in court or in Congress, but De Lima’s team discovered that an August 2020 affidavit from Adorco mentioned the former senator.
In this affidavit, Adorco stated “Hindi ko po kilala sina Lovely Impal, Peter Co, Peter Lim, and secretary Leila de Lima. Hindi ko po sila nakita and nakausap kahit minsan.”
(I don’t know Lovely Impal, Peter Co, Peter Lim and Secretary Leila De Lima. I haven’t seen or talked to them once.)
What does he have to do with De Lima?
“Hindi testigo si Adorco in case of Senator De Lima. Pero sa tingin namin, sumasalamin ito sa matagal na naming sinasabi na ang mga kaso laban kay Senator De Lima est pawang gawa-gawa lamang ng mga taong tinakot and ginipit para gumawa ng kasinungalingan and palabasin na si Senator De Lima a sangkot sa bentahan ng illegal it’s a drugsaid De Lima’s attorney, Filibon Tacardon.
(Adorco is not a witness in the Senator De Lima case. But in our view, this reflects what we have long said that the cases against Senator De Lima are fabricated by people who have been threatened and harassed for making up lies that Senator De Lima was involved in drug trafficking.)
De Lima: ‘Espenido should speak’
De Lima said the next person who should speak is Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido, former police chief in Albuera, Leyte, when the Espinosas were attacked. In 2020, in a turn of events, Espenido was put on Duterte’s drug list.
“Lieutenant Colonel Jovie Espenido must now also be clear and tell the truth. He knows that I have absolutely no connection to confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa and/or any involvement in the illegal drug trade,” De Lima said in a dispatch from his jail cell at Camp Crame on Thursday.
De Lima formally requested his release, either by dropping the charges or on bail, bringing it to court Retraction of Ragos. Ragos’ testimony was what prompted a judge in Muntinlupa to proceed to trial on one of the two remaining counts of conspiracy to commit drug trafficking. – Rappler.com
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