Rafael Ragos testifies against De Lima in court; defense finds alleged loopholes

Former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos testified against Senator Leila de Lima in court Friday, repeating the allegation that he delivered drug money to her house in a testimony the defense said was filled with "loopholes."

Ragos appeared at the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court as a witness for the first time since he was dropped from the list of De Lima's co-accused in cases for conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading. De Lima has asked the court to bring him back as an accused.

He testified he made two deliveries to De Lima's residence in Parañaque in 2012 upon the instruction of Hans Tan, an inmate at the New Bilibid Prison, whom he said told him the money was De Lima's share in the drug trade proceeds of Peter Co, another inmate.

Ragos alleged it was Ronnie Dayan, De Lima's former driver, who received the bags containing the money.

Both Tan and Co, among 11 other convicts, are listed as prosecution witnesses in the drug cases. De Lima has asked the Court of Appeals to prohibit them from testifying, and the Muntinlupa RTC to include them as accused.

De Lima and her lawyers have repeatedly said the alleged dirty money handover was a lie.

"We find the testimony na maraming loopholes and we would try to establish that later," said Filibon Tacardon, one of De Lima's lawyers, after the trial, which will resume for Ragos' cross-examination on June 14.

Tacardon said the defense wonders why Ragos, who was then in charge of the BuCor, followed the instruction of an inmate. "Hindi lang nangyari ito isang beses, dalawang beses nangyari ito na may makikita siyang isang bag na puno ng pera at may tatawag sa kanya at uutusan siyang mag-deliver," he said.

The defense lawyer also said Ragos' testimony contained allegations that were not mentioned in his earlier affidavits, such as the supposed claim that Dayan told Ragos to save money for De Lima's candidacy in the 2013 elections.

After several seconds of scanning the crowd seated at the small courtroom, Ragos successfully identified Dayan during the hearing.

In another similar case against De Lima, National Bureau of Investigation official Jose Doloiras testified for the prosecution regarding a major raid on the national penitentiary that yielded drugs, deadly weapons and firearms on December 2014.

De Lima is on trial for her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison when she was secretary of the Department of Justice. She has been detained for more than two years on charges she has consistently denied. — MDM, GMA News