FORMER Solicitor General Florin Hilbay will represent detained Senator Leila De Lima in Tuesday's oral arguments at the Supreme Court on the senator's petition to seeking to nullify her arrest over drug charges.
On his Twitter account, Hilbay announced that he will be present during the oral arguments to argue on behalf of petitioner De Lima.
Meanwhile, incumbent Solicitor General Jose Calida will represent respondents to the case, namely Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) branch 204 Judge Juanita Guerrero, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald Dela Rosa, among others.
On March 9, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) filed before the SC its comment opposing De Lima's petition challenging her arrest and detention on the criminal case of drug trading.
In the OSG's comment signed by Calida, it said that the RTC has the sole jurisdiction over violations of the Republic Act 9165 Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act and that the warrant of arrest against De Lima was properly issued by Guerrero.
The OSG added that a trial is necessary to determine De Lima's guilt for the drug charges filed against her by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The DOJ last February 17 filed three separate drug charges against the senator and seven others for their alleged participation in the proliferation of illegal drugs in the state penitentiary.
The arrest warrants against the senator, her former driver Ronnie Dayan and former Bureau of Corrections chief Rafael Ragos were released four days after the cases were raffled off to three Muntinlupa RTC branches.
The "immediate" issuance of the arrest order against the senator prompted her to seek relief from the high court.
De Lima in her petition dated February 27 accused Guerrero of acting with grave abuse of discretion for releasing the warrant of arrest amid the pendency of her motion to quash the case based on lack of jurisdiction and lack of evidence.
De Lima is now detained at the PNP custodial center, Dayan at the Muntinlupa police jail and Ragos at the National Bureau of Investigation detention facility. (SunStar Philippines)