Photo: De Lima/FB" width="100%" />
Judge Abrahan Joseph Alcantara of Muntinlupa RTC Branch 204 quickly addressed the motion for involuntary inhibition filed by the prosecution in the ongoing drug case of former Senator Leila De Lima.
This led to the cancellation of the scheduled trial on July 7.
This came after the Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors presented an eight-page motion, requesting Judge Alcantara to recuse himself from the case involving the former senator in order to ensure a fair and impartial administration of justice.
The prosecution pointed out the judge’s previous decision in another drug case involving De Lima, along with former Bureau of Corrections officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos and her driver Ronnie Dayan. In that case, Judge Alcantara acquitted De Lima due to reasonable doubt.
“Having adversely decided against the people in the previous criminal case… the undersigned panel of prosecutors cannot help but be apprehensive that the Honorable Presiding Judge will carry over his perceptions to the instant case,” they stated in their motion.
To dispel any doubts about the judge’s impartiality and the impression of a similar outcome, they requested that Alcantara voluntarily inhibit himself from handling the current case.
It should be noted that the case was raffled to Alcantara after the original judge assigned to it, Branch 256 Judge Romeo Buenaventura, recused himself.
To prevent further delays in the proceedings, the prosecution asked for the submission of case records to the Office of the Clerk of Court of Muntinlupa RTC for an immediate re-raffle.
