Showdown at SC over Leila’s case
The current and former solicitors-general will face each other today in the Supreme Court, which will hear detained Sen. Leila de Lima’s petition to declare her arrest void. Former solicitor-general Florin Hilbay will represent the senator, while Solicitor-General Jose Calida will speak for the Philippine National Police, among other parties from the government.
Detained Senator Leila de Lima yesterday refused to enter a plea during her arraignment for the disobedience to summons case before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 34.
The court entered a plea of not guilty on De Lima’s behalf after she remained silent when asked whether she admitted or denied the offense.
De Lima is facing charges for allegedly directing her former driver, Ronnie Dayan, not to attend the congressional investigation on the drug proliferation at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.
Lawmakers filed the case against De Lima for violation of the Revised Penal Code for inducing disobedience to summons issued by the House of Representatives.
The “Free De Lima” group welcomed the beleaguered senator as she arrived at the Quezon City Hall of Justice for the arraignment proceedings yesterday.
De Lima’s public appearance on Monday was her first since she was arrested last February 24 over illegal drug charges.
The senator, who is now detained at the Philippine National Police custodial center in Camp Crame, Quezon City, is facing three separate illegal drug charges before the Muntinlupa City RTC.
Meanwhile, former solicitor general Florin Hilbay announced via social media account Twitter that he will represent De Lima in today’s oral arguments at the Supreme Court over the senator’s petition seeking to nullify her arrest.
Incumbent Solicitor General Jose Calida will represent the respondents to the case, namely Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) branch 204 Judge Juanita Guerrero and Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald Dela Rosa, among others.
On March 9, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) filed before the SC its comment opposing De Lima’s petition challenging her arrest and detention on the criminal case of drug trading.
The OSG’s comment signed by Calida said the RTC has the sole jurisdiction over violations of Republic Act 9165, or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, and that the warrant of arrest against De Lima was properly issued by Guerrero.
The OSG added that a trial is necessary to determine De Lima’s guilt for the drug charges filed against her by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The arrest warrants against the senator, her former driver Ronnie Dayan and former Bureau of Corrections chief Rafael Ragos were released four days after the cases were raffled off to three Muntinlupa RTC branches.
De Lima in her petition dated February 27 accused Guerrero of acting with grave abuse of discretion for releasing the warrant of arrest amid the pendency of her motion to quash the case based on lack of jurisdiction and lack of evidence.
Dayan, who was arrested several hours after the issuance of the warrant, is detained at the Muntinlupa police jail while Ragos, who surrendered two days after De Lima’s arrest, is being held at the National Bureau of Investigation detention facility.