De Lima ordered arrested anew over another drug case

A Muntinlupa court has issued a warrant of arrest against detained Senator Leila de Lima, former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director Franklin Jesus Bucayu, and five others in connection with one of the three drug cases filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) last February.

Apart from De Lima and Bucayu, Judge Patria Manalastas de Leon of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court, Branch 206, also ordered the arrest of Ronnie Dayan, Wilfredo Elli, Jose Adrian Dera, Joenel Sanchez, and National Bilibid Prison (NBP) prisoner Jaybee Nino Sebastian in connection with case 17-167 in which they are accused of violating Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 or Republic Act 9165, regarding the illegal drug trade in the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa when De Lima was still the Justice secretary.

De Lima and Dayan are already in detention and according to De Lima’s lawyer, Boni Tacardon, the court has set their arraignment for December 8.

Judge Juanito Guerrero of the Muntinlupa RTC, Branch 204, issued the first warrant against the senator last February regarding another drug case.

Tacardon said they will also file a motion for reconsideration on Wednesday as De Leon also denied De Lima’s motion to quash.

He said they expect the prosecution to amend the case information filed before RTC 206 like in the two other cases. He said they will file a motion to oppose the amended information.

“Because it is violative of the constitutional rights of the accused, Senator Leila de Lima,” he said.