Palace: De5 ‘test’ case vs Duterte won’t prosper

MANILA - Malacañang expressed confidence on Wednesday that the “test” case to be filed by Senator Leila de Lima case against President Rodrigo Duterte at the Supreme Court will not prosper.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella dismissed the neophyte senator’s supposed plan to test Duterte’s immunity as a mere strategy “to elude focus” on her involvement in the drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

Abella said he had already conferred with Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on the impending case against the President and he was told that it would not flourish.

“I referred to Secretary Aguirre regarding this matter and he said this issue will not prosper… [It will not prosper] simply because the President enjoys immunity while in office,” he said.

On Tuesday, De Lima said she would file a writ of amparo and writ of habeas data against Duterte at the high court, citing the “blatant abuse” allegedly committed by the

chief executive.

De Lima, before being ousted as chair of Senate committee on justice, was investigating the rampant drug killings since Duterte took office. Following this, the President then tagged De Lima on the alleged drug proliferation inside the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City. SUNNEX