De Lima to appeal SC ruling on arrest

Embattled Sen. Leila de Lima will appeal the Supreme Court (SC) ruling junking her petition to free her from detention on drug charges.

De Lima said her lawyers would file a motion for reconsideration and “continue to appeal to the sense of fairness and justice” of the high court.

The SC earlier junked her petition questioning the jurisdiction of the Muntinlupa City regional trial court (RTC) in issuing the warrant for her arrest in February on drug charges filed by the Department of

Justice (DOJ).

“There is no other recourse but to go on fighting, especially when one is innocent as I truly am,” De Lima said in a handwritten statement from her detention cell at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center at Camp Crame.

“Every day spent behind bars on bogus charges brings pain and untold sufferings. But it also strengthens resolve,” she added.

The DOJ had filed charges before the Muntinlupa RTC against De Lima for allegedly abetting the illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) when she was justice secretary.

De Lima stressed in her petition that the Sandiganbayan should be the one handling her case.

She said she was deeply saddened and pained by the dismissal of her petition and expressed hope that the justices “who decided against my petition can feel the pain of someone who is sent to prison and yet is innocent of any crime, and has merely fallen victim to the strong arm of the State and the President’s deeply rooted vengeance against her.”

For her, the ruling “legitimizes oppression and political persecution.”

De Lima said the SC’s majority decision of 9-6 showed the extent the Duterte administration “has distorted reason, suppressed the truth and rejected the primacy of conscience.”

“I take heart, though, in the thought that six dissenters – all venerable magistrates – stood their ground. I honor them with profound thanks and admiration for their courage and fealty to their sworn duty,” she said, adding that she has no illusions of being freed while President Duterte remains in power.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III on Tuesday said the SC ruling must be respected.

“They (magistrates) have studied the case more thoroughly than we have,” Pimentel told reporters.

Senators from the minority bloc on Tuesday lamented the decision even as they vowed to press the Senate leadership to ask the courts to allow De Lima to participate in key legislative sessions.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said he strongly believes that the Office of the Ombudsman should be the one handling the cases against De Lima.

“But I respect the decision of the Supreme Court. I’m a lawyer and former justice secretary, I disagree but I will respect the SC de- cision. I assume Senator De Lima will file a motion for reconsideration and I hope the SC can take a close second look at the decision,” Drilon told reporters.

He said that since the voting was close, it was also possible that some justices may change their minds once De Lima files her appeal.