A Regional Trial Court (RTC) has ordered the arrest of Senator Leila de Lima for her alleged involvement in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) illegal drug trade.
Presiding Judge Juanita Guerrero of Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 204 issued the arrest warrant.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre told ANC Thursday he was expecting the issuance of the arrest warrant, sources said.
“I am expecting it because we have filed a strong case against the Secretary-Senator and in her defense, she did not file a counter affidavit,” Aguirre said.
“The warrant of arrest is inevitable,” he added.
Aguirre said “any of the police agencies—the Philippine National Police, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, or even the National Bureau of Investigation could arrest the senator.”
“But I prefer that the service of the warrant of arrest be done not by the NBI,” said Aguirre.
Last week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted De Lima for violating sections 5 and 22 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act pertaining to the sale, administration, dispensation, distribution and transportation of dangerous drugs.
Several complaints filed by Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), former NBI deputy directors Reynaldo Esmeralda and Ruel Lasala, and Bilibid inmate Jaybee Sebastian alleged that De Lima directed high-profile Bilibid inmates to distribute huge volumes of shabu to help fund her 2016 senatorial bid.
Also indicted along with De Lima were her former driver-bodyguard and estranged lover Ronnie Dayan, former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director-General Franklin Jesus Bucayu, former BuCor OIC and NBI deputy director Rafael Ragos, Wilfredo Elli, Jaybee Sebastian, Joenel Sanchez and Jose Adrian Dera.
De Lima last Monday said she would challenge the jurisdiction of the RTC where the drug cases were filed.
She said her lawyers will be filing motions questioning the jurisdiction of the Muntinlupa RTC over her drug cases.
“Ang principal issue na nire-raise dito ay jurisdictional. Dapat dinerecho iyan sa Ombudsman, hindi sa RTC.”
(The principal issue to be raised here is the jurisdiction of the court. The cases should have been filed before the Ombudsman, not the RTC.)
But Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said recently that the local court is the proper venue to hear the charges.
“On the matter of jurisdiction, it is the RTC that has original and exclusive jurisdiction over the three cases, regardless of the high position of the respondent,” Aguirre said.
This story first appeared on ABS-CBN News Online and is republished with permission.
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