A MUNTINLUPA City court on Wednesday, February 17, 2021, acquitted detained Senator Leila de Lima of one of three illegal drug trading charges, four years after these were filed.

The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 205 granted De Lima’s demurrer to evidence, which is tantamount to her acquittal in case number 17-166.

De Lima was accused of benefiting from the drug money and vehicles that her co-accused, Jose Adrian “Jad” Dera, demanded from convicted drug lord Peter Co during the 2016 elections.

The money allegedly came from proceeds of illegal drug trading inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

The court, however, said “no link between the two accused (De Lima and Dera) was proven, and thus, it cannot be concluded that they agreed to engage in illegal drug trading.”

The court, on the other hand, denied Dera’s demurrer to evidence, saying “conviction is still possible” for Dera.

The court said evidence showed that Dera had participated in the drug trading inside the NBP and had benefited from it based on bank statements.

“He has to answer why he introduced himself as an agent or relative of De Lima to Hans Tan and to explain the money he received from the inmates,” the court ruling read.

The same court rejected De Lima’s objection to the evidence presented in case number 17-165, which was filed against her, and former driver and lover Ronnie Dayan. Her petition for bail was, thus, denied.

Another case, number 17-167, is being heard before Muntinlupa RTC Branch 256.

De Lima has been detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center since her arrest in February 2017.

She was charged in 2017 with three cases for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, in connection with her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trading inside the NBP while she was Department of Justice secretary. (Marites Villamor-Ilano / SunStar Philippines)