De Lima freed on bail
MANILA, Philippines — Nearly seven years after she was first detained, former senator Leila de Lima is finally walking out of jail after a Muntinlupa court yesterday granted her petition to post bail for her third and last drug case.
The court allowed De Lima and each of her co-accused to post bail in the amount of P300,000.
“The judge released the order, granting the petition for bail for all of the five people accused,” De Lima’s lawyer Dino de Leon told The STAR.
Detained at Camp Crame since 2017 barely six months after assuming her post in the Senate, De Lima expressed relief with the granting of bail.
“Finally, I will be set free. For years, my whole being has been crying out for freedom. For more than six long years, I’ve been praying so hard for this day to come,” she said in a chance interview.
Her co-accused are former Bureau of Corrections director Franklin Bucayo, De Lima’s former security personnel Joenel Sanchez and Jad Dera and former driver Ronnie Dayan.
“The court is of the firm view and so holds that accused De Lima, Bucayu, Dayan, Sanchez and Dera should be allowed to post bail,” the Regional Trial Court Branch 206 decision read. “The prosecution was not able to discharge its burden of establishing that the guilt of the said accused is strong.”
De Lima is currently facing the third and last drug case against her, involving her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City during her time as justice secretary. In February 2021, De Lima was acquitted in her first drug case.
Two years later, in May 2023, De Lima was acquitted in the second drug charge against her. Last Oct. 16, two state witnesses – Maj. Rodolfo Magleo and Sgt. Nonilo Arile – in her last drug case recanted their testimonies because “they are bothered by their conscience.”
Meanwhile, De Lima’s legal counsel vowed that the former senator will be released today as there is no longer any reason for her to be detained.
“We will be immediately processing her bail. And there should no longer be any reason for her not to go home to her family. She will be going home tonight,” De Leon told The STAR.De Lima’s legal counsel also said they are
