Former senator Leila de Lima’s plea in her last drug case pending before the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court should have been granted, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, president of the once-ruling Liberal Party, said on Thursday claiming there are several “overriding factors” to fully warrant the post bail.
Among the factors brought forth is the Supreme Court granting bail to ex-senator Juan Ponce Enrile in 2015 on a plunder case over the infamous pork barrel scam.
The high court had allowed Enrile to post bail based on the presumption of innocence, voluntary surrender, not being a flight risk and fragile health.
However, the opposition lawmaker believes that De Lima, a member of the LP, is subject to all of the aforementioned standards on an equal footing.
Meanwhile, the camp of former Senator Leila de Lima is set to file an appeal to reverse the decision of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 256.
Presiding Judge Romeo Buenaventura of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 256 in a decision dated 7 June denied the petitions and motions for bail filed by the former lawmaker and co-accused Franklin Jesus Bucayu, Ronnie Dayan, Joenel Sanchez and Jose Adrian Dera in case 17-167.
Based on the information filed by the Department of Justice in February 2017, De Lima and her co-accused were charged of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading.