Leila ‘private citizen’ in drug case

MANILA – Detained senator Leila de Lima will be treated as a private citizen with regard to the second drug trafficking charge against her, according to a Department of Justice prosecutor.

De Lima and Jose Adrian Dera were ordered arrested for their alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade at the New

Bilibid Prisons.

“They will be treated as private citizens in this case, since the [ alleged] drug trafficking was committed when Senator de Lima resigned as [ Justice] secretary,” Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Alexander Ramos said on Monday.

Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Amelia Fabros- Corpuz i ssued the

n warrants of arrest for de Lima and her co-accused in the case.

In the case filed by the Justice department, de Lima allegedly ordered Dera, her “nephew,” to extort money and vehicles from high-profile Bilibid inmate and drug lord Peter Co to be used in her senatorial campaign.

De Lima and Dera denied the allegations before a House of rt Representatives inquiry.

They denied personally knowing each other. The senator also denied that Dera is her nephew.

De Lima is currently detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center.

She has another case pending before the sale of Muntinlupa RTC Judge Patria Manalastas- De Leon. Former Bureau of Corrections chief Franklin Bucayu is a co-respondent./