The Department of Justice is set to furnish the office of Senator Sonny Angara of the report on the status of the pending drug cases of former Senator Leila De Lima, according to its spokesperson Atty. Mico Clavano.
This comes after the senator asked the DoJ for a copy of the status report on the former lady senator’s drug cases.
“We will submit to the good Senator Angara a status report on these cases. The prosecutors in charge have already finished their presentation of evidence and it is now former Sen. De lima’s turn to present her evidence as soon as possible,” said Clavano.
Previously, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that it will be up to the courts to decide on the fate of the former senator who has been locked up for more than five years on charges of taking illegal drug money while still serving as Justice secretary.
As the two-member Senate minority bloc filed a resolution calling for the withdrawal of charges against the 62-year-old de Lima, the DoJ said it could not drop any suit against her.
“It is a judicial matter,” Remulla said in an earlier statement. “The matter is already within the jurisdiction of the Muntinlupa Trial Court, which has the sole power and authority to act on the pending case against former Senator de Lima.”
To recall, Senate Resolution 27 was filed by Senator Risa Hontiveros and Minority Leader Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, on 14 July and reiterated that the DoJ should withdraw the cases against De Lima.
“At the start of the new administration, the Justice Secretary said they would not get in the way. We are pinning our hopes on that, another sign of hope,” Hontiveros said.
Remulla said that former Bureau of Corrections chief Rafael Ragos has not been presented as a witness before the Muntinlupa court.