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Janvic Mateo - The Philippine Star
July 17, 2025 | 12:00am
In an interview with “Storycon” on One News, Leila De Lima’s lawyer Dino de Leon described the prosecution’s latest bid to reverse her acquittal as an “abuse” of the country’s justice system.
STAR / File
MANILA, Philippines — Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima is considering filing charges against prosecutors over their latest attempt to reverse her acquittal in her drug cases, her lawyer said yesterday.
In an interview with “Storycon” on One News, De Lima’s lawyer Dino de Leon described the prosecution’s latest bid to reverse her acquittal as an “abuse” of the country’s justice system.
“This is now the most expensive frame-up in Philippine history, and it is time to hold the panel of prosecutors accountable,” he said, describing it as “third jeopardy.”
“Even a first-year law student knows that an acquittal is not a subject of a motion for reconsideration. That is explicitly prohibited in the rules of criminal procedure,” he added.
De Leon asked if the panel of prosecutors obtained the consent of the prosecutor general and office of the solicitor general before filing the motion.
“This is clearly a violation of our oath. This is, to us, prosecutorial misconduct,” he said.
“And they’re leaving (former) senator Leila de Lima without any other recourse but to pursue charges against them,” he added.
Infuriating
De Lima is displeased with the Department of Justice (DOJ)’s motion.
“I don’t understand what the prosecution is trying to do! Put me in triple jeopardy after nearly 7 years in unjust detention? What they’re doing is not funny. It’s infuriating,” she said.
The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives said the DOJ’s action is a “real witch hunt.”
“It has been proven twice in court that the case against De Lima is trumped up to silence her because of her investigation of Duterte’s fake drug war, but the government continues its effort to have her jailed,” Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Co said.
“It is also proof that Marcos Jr. is not sincere in getting justice. They are to capture De Lima… for purposes of using her against Duterte and other political interests of their faction. Like a dictator, he wants to control all, crony, enemy or allies. Marcos is no different from Duterte except for PR on good governance,” Co added.
Former lawmakers France Castro and Satur Ocampo also condemned the DOJ’s motion, calling it another example of the systematic weaponization of the justice system against progressive leaders.
“What they are doing to congresswoman De Lima is exactly what they did to us in the Talaingod 13 case,” Castro said.
“The cases are trumped up, trial by publicity and non-stop persecution. All of these are part of a big campaign to silence those who are assailing their wrong policies,” she added.
The two former legislators who were wrongfully convicted in the Talaingod 13 case for rescuing Lumad children from paramilitary threats expressed solidarity with De Lima as she faces renewed persecution despite her acquittal in the fabricated drug cases.
Bayan hits DOJ
The motion to overturn De Lima’s acquittal is not a pursuit of justice, but an act of vindictiveness by the DOJ, militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said yesterday.
Bayan chairman Teodoro Casiño said after over six years in detention, the DOJ still refuses to admit grave error and wants to destroy De Lima’s reputation.
“Instead of taking accountability and moving to correct this historic injustice, the DOJ now seeks to prolong De Lima’s ordeal, clinging to baseless accusations,” Casiño said.
“We call on the courts to uphold her acquittal and for the Marcos administration to put an end to the persecution of political dissidents,” he added.
