De Lima: Lawyers' updates on drug trial are factual

Senator Leila de Lima has defended her lawyers after the chief government prosecutor accused them of breaking a court rule against the public discussion of pending cases.

In a dispatch from Camp Crame, where she is detained on drug charges, De Lima said her lawyers have been making factual updates on her trial to the media and the public.

"Wala pong sinungaling sa kampo namin," the senator said in the dispatch dated November 13 but released by her team on Monday.

"As their principal, I authorized my lawyers to disclose to the public material and significant particulars from witnesses' declarations during the hearings, and other case developments, in the interest of truth and transparency," she said.

She said the trial is of high public interest. "Hence, the public's right to know what's going on in these cases cannot be stifled," she added.

De Lima made the statement after Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento said that the prosecution intended to move for the senator's lawyers to be cited in contempt for discussing the trial with the media and allegedly violating the sub judice rule, which restricts the public disclosure of the merits of matters pending in court.

Malcontento claimed last week that the defense has been cherry-picking which parts of witness testimonies to share with the media.

"It's not fair because we have to respect the independence of the courts, so kami we will not engage into that kind of thing," the prosecutor general said.

The Supreme Court in 2018 allowed media coverage of De Lima's trial provided that reporters could only take down notes and not use recording devices. Defense lawyers and prosecutors also used to allow post-hearing interviews.

But courts now operate with COVID-19 guidelines, and De Lima has been participating in hearings through videoconferencing.

De Lima faces charges for her alleged involvement in the New Bilibid Prison drug trade when she was secretary of justice. She denies the allegations.—AOL, GMA News