De Lima granted furlough to vote in Parañaque

Detained Senator and reelectionist Leila De Lima has been given approval to cast her vote at a precinct on Monday, following her request for furlough.

Two courts of the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court approved De Lima’s request to be able to vote in Parañaque City from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Monday, May 9, 2022.

Based on an order from the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 256, there are no special polling places established for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the custodial center of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camp Crame, where De Lima is detained.

“After casting her vote, accused De Lima shall be immediately returned by the jail escorts to her detention facility at PNP Custodial Center, Camp Crame,” the order dated April 20, 2022.

The order also noted that de Lima in her request said she would shoulder all the necessary costs and expenses for her transport from the PNP Custodial Center in Quezon City to Saint Rita College in Parañaque City.

A similar order was released by the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204.

De Lima was jailed in 2017 after being accused of involvement in the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison during her stint as Justice Secretary.

Key witnesses—self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa and former Bureau of Corrections officer-in-charge Rafaael Ragos—earlier this month recanted their testimony against de Lima.

Espinosa recanted his sworn statements during a Senate joint committee, saying that he was “coerced, pressured, intimidated, and seriously threatened” by the police to implicate the senator.

Ragos followed suit and retracted his claim, also saying that he was threatened by then-Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre into making false allegations against her. He also apologized and said she should be cleared of charges.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) said the retracted statements were “highly suspicious” and “questionable,” and that it is up to the court to decide if the recant could impact his previous testimonies.

“He executed said affidavit more than five years after he testified before the Senate in 2016 and other subsequent affidavits executed in 2017.  He even testified in court on 07, 14 and 28 June 2019 and the defense subjected him to an extensive cross-examination,” the DOJ said.

Malacañang earlier on Wednesday said the public should let the law run its course, claiming that the case has “nothing to do with her views with the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs or her affiliation to the political opposition.”

Prior to her detainment, de Lima had been vocal against the administration’s war on illegal drugs, and said she was prepared to be the first “political prisoner” under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. — BM, GMA News