Robredo calls for speedy resolution of drug raps vs. Senator De Lima

Vice President Leni Robredo on Thursday called for the speedy resolution of the pending drug cases against Senator Leila de Lima, saying the lawmaker has long been suffering due to baseless accusations.

Robredo made the call while De Lima was with her ailing mother in her hometown of Iriga, Camarines Sur.

Earlier, Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court branches handling the two cases of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading leveled against De Lima granted the Senator’s wish for furlough to visit her ailing mother.

“Masaya tayo na napagbigyan iyong request ni Senator Leila na mabisita iyong kaniyang nanay. In fact, bago siya napagbigyan, humihingi na talaga siya ng dasal among friends kasi hindi maganda iyong lagay ng kaniyang nanay. Pero siyempre, iyong ninanais natin, sana finally madesisyunan na iyong kaso. Kasi alam naman natin na baseless,” Robredo said on the sidelines of the media launch of activities for the commemoration of the seventh death anniversary of her husband, the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo.

“Na-deprive [ng karapatan] hindi lang si Senator De Lima, pero iyong taumbayan ng kaniyang serbisyo kasi elected senator siya. More than two years na na hindi siya pinapayagang gawin iyong kaniyang trabaho to the fullest. While nakaka-participate naman siya sa paghain ng rmga panukalang batas, iba pa rin kung nandoon siya na nakaka-participate sa debates, nakakapagboto. Sana, soonest possible time matapos na ito,” Robredo added.

In case 17-166, De Lima and a certain Jose Adrian Dera are accused to soliciting money worth P3 million and four vehicles from high-profile inmate of New Bilibid Prison from Wu Tuan Yuan, a.k.a. Peter Co, supposedly for de Lima’s 2016 Senate run.

In case 17-165, De Lima, her former aide Ronnie Dayan and Rafael Ragos, former officer-in-charge of the Bureau of Corrections, are accused of collecting P10 million drug money from NBP inmates in 2012 and 2013.

De Lima has denied all allegations and accused the administration of filing harassment cases against her because she is a critic of President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war policy, among others.

“Nakikiisa tayo kay Senator Leila. Pinagdadasal natin—pinagdadasal natin iyong kalusugan at kaligtasan ng kaniyang nanay, pinagdadasal din natin iyong lakas ng loob—lakas ng loob sa kaniya," said Robredo, adding,  "While the fight is tough, hope springs eternal for De Lima’s case."

In September 2016, then Justice Chief Vitaliano Aguirre said that the drug money cannot be traced to de Lima's bank accounts, but big sums were traced to the accounts of persons close to her such as Ronnie Dayan, her driver.

"Makokonek mo yan dahil may alam kaming mga bank accounts na malapit sa kanya. 'Di ko sinasabing totoo ito... Halimbawa si Ronnie Dayan nagkaroon ng P300 milyon sa kanyang account, pano mo i-explain yan? Hindi ba isa Lang explanation niyan? Na yang perang yan na dineposito sa account niya ay galing sa kanya (De Lima). Eh 'di makokonek mo na 'yan," Aguirre said then.  —LBG, GMA News