European lawmakers urge immediate release of De Lima

European legislators on Thursday called on the Philippines to immediately free a senator who has waged a decade-long bid to expose hardline President Rodrigo Duterte as the leader of death squads.

Human rights activist Leila de Lima was arrested last month for drug trafficking, in what her allies say were trumped-up charges.

She has said the charges are to silence her probes into thousands of killings allegedly orchestrated by Duterte when he was a city mayor.

The often volatile Duterte won presidential elections last year after promising to eradicate drugs in society by killing tens of thousands of people and reinstating the death penalty.

MEPs in a resolution called "for the immediate release of Senator Leila M. De Lima and for her to be provided with adequate security whilst in detention."

They also strongly condemned "the high number of extrajudicial killings by the armed forces and vigilante groups related to the anti-drug campaign".

The MEPs said they felt "grave concern over credible reports to the effect that the Philippine police force is falsifying evidence to justify extrajudicial killings," the resolution added.

Since Duterte took office in the middle of last year, about 7,000 people have been killed in a crackdown on crime, prompting accusations by rights groups that the president could be overseeing a crime against humanity.

On Thursday Duterte's ruling party stripped a dozen lawmakers of congressional leadership posts for voting against the death penalty, turning up the pressure on his opponents.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

LOOK: Police take De Lima mug shot

MANILA - Police on Friday took Senator Leila de Lima's activity shot at Camp Crame following her arrest at the Senate.

De Lima was arrested Friday after a judge found merit in criminal charges filed by the Department of Justice last week. She will be detained at the Custodial Center at the national police headquarters, Camp Crame.

EARLIER: PNP SOCO personnel preparing Sen. De Lima for her mugshots. @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/nte5e6ALrY

— Maan Macapagal (@maan_macapagal) February 24, 2017

The embattled senator has vowed to face all charges against her which she has branded as "political persecution."

"The truth will come out and I will achieve justice. I am innocent," she told reporters shortly before law enforcers escorted her away from her office.

Apart from De Lima, her former driver and bodyguard Ronnie Dayan was also arrested.

De Lima, a human rights lawyer before joining government, said the charges are a vendetta against her after she last year led a Senate probe into alleged extrajudicial killings during Duterte's anti-drugs crackdown.

-- reports from Maan Macapagal, ABS-CBN News, Reuters

source: news.abs-cbn.com

De Lima ordered arrested by RTC

LOOK: RTC order vs. Sen. Leila de Lima saying there is probable cause and a warrant should be issued pic.twitter.com/J0HLGGHO7j

— Adrian Ayalin (@adrianayalin) February 23, 2017

 MANILA - A Regional Trial Court (RTC) has ordered the arrest of Senator Leila de Lima for her alleged involvement in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) illegal drug trade.

Presiding Judge Juanita Guerrero of Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 204 issued the arrest warrant.

De Lima's three criminal cases were raffled off to Muntinlupa RTC branches 204 (Judge Juanita Guerrero), 205 (Judge Amelia Fabros-Corpuz) and 206 (Judge Patria Manalastas-de Leon) last Monday.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre told ANC Thursday he was expecting the issuance of the arrest warrant.

"I am expecting it because we have filed a strong case against the Secretary-Senator and in her defense, she did not file a counter affidavit," Aguirre said.

"The warrant of arrest is inevitable," he added.

Aguirre said "any of the police agencies—the Philippine National Police, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, or even the National Bureau of Investigation could arrest the senator."

"But I prefer that the service of the warrant of arrest be done not by the NBI," said Aguirre.

The order for De Lima's arrest is in connection with the criminal case pending before Muntinlupa RTC branch 204 filed by the Department of Justice.

Last week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted De Lima for violating sections 5 and 22 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act pertaining to the sale, administration, dispensation, distribution and transportation of dangerous drugs.

 Several complaints filed by Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), former NBI deputy directors Reynaldo Esmeralda and Ruel Lasala, and Bilibid inmate Jaybee Sebastian alleged that De Lima directed high-profile Bilibid inmates to distribute huge volumes of shabu to help fund her 2016 senatorial bid.

Also indicted along with De Lima were her former driver-bodyguard and estranged lover Ronnie Dayan, former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director-General Franklin Jesus Bucayu, former BuCor OIC and NBI deputy director Rafael Ragos, Wilfredo Elli, Jaybee Sebastian, Joenel Sanchez and Jose Adrian Dera.

Ragos, in his affidavit and testimony before the House of Representatives, claimed he delivered P10 million to De Lima and Ronnie Dayan in separate occasions.

He said he delivered a bag containing P5 million to Dayan in De Lima's residence in South Bay Village last November 2012. He claimed he saw Dayan hand the bag over to De Lima.

He also claimed delivering a plastic bag full of money from inmate Peter Co to Dayan inside De Lima's house in Parañaque in December 2012.

He also claimed giving P1.6 million to Dayan and another P800,000 for De Lima's expenses after Dayan asked for funds allegedly for De Lima's senatorial bid.

He also claimed delivering P1.7 million to Dayan at De Lima's house on four occasions in January 2013.


De Lima last Monday said she would challenge the jurisdiction of the RTC where the drug cases were filed.

She said her lawyers will be filing motions questioning the jurisdiction of the Muntinlupa RTC over her drug cases.

“Ang principal issue na nire-raise dito ay jurisdictional. Dapat dinerecho iyan sa Ombudsman, hindi sa RTC.”

(The principal issue to be raised here is the jurisdiction of the court. The cases should have been filed before the Ombudsman, not the RTC.)

But Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said recently that the local court is the proper venue to hear the charges.

"On the matter of jurisdiction, it is the RTC that has original and exclusive jurisdiction over the three cases, regardless of the high position of the respondent," Aguirre said. -- report from Ina Reformina, ABS-CBN News

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Jaybee Sebastian to supply bank details, list of 'Ninja Cops' to DOJ

Convicted crime boss Jaybee Sebastian on Monday promised to give the Department of Justice (DOJ) the bank details and a list of cops connected with the illegal drug trade.

Sebastian said he was "very much willing" to give the DOJ all the bank accounts that were used in the illegal drug operations inside the New Bilibd Prison (NBP).

Sebastian was also "willing to do some research" and surrender to the department all the names of so-called "Ninja Cops," who resold illegal drugs they confiscate during operations.


He said some police officers would seize 300 kilos of shabu but only present 30 to the public and their superiors. They will then resell 270 kilos for profit.

"Ito ang tunay na dahilan kung bakit lumaganap ang droga sa Pilipinas [This is the real reason why illegal drugs spread across the Philippines]," he said at Monday's House committee hearing on the illegal drug trade inside the NBP.

Sebastian, who was appearing at the inquiry for the first time, testified that he gave at least P14 million in drug payoffs to Senator Leila De Lima in 2014.


Previous witnesses claimed that Sebastian had ordered them to sell drugs to add funds to De Lima's campaign kitty for the 2016 senatorial elections.

Sebastian stayed quiet until Monday and clarified that he never refused to testify.

"Actually hindi po totoo yan [Actually that is not true]," he said.

He even personally supplied the solicitor general information about the illegal drug trade and other anomalies inside the prison, he said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Speaker Alvarez changes tune on De Lima sex video

MANILA – After saying that he finds nothing wrong if the alleged sex video of Senator Leila de Lima will be played at the House of Representatives, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said Monday he will just let the committee handling the probe into the proliferation of illegal drugs at the national penitentiary to decide whether the video will be played or not.

Various lawmakers, including those allied with the administration, have labeled the proposal to play the alleged sex video as misogynistic.

Duterte’s allies have said playing the video would establish De Lima’s close ties with her former driver, Ronnie Dayan, who allegedly received drug money from Bilibid for De Lima.

“Sabi ko, ako naman I have nothing personal against women. In fact I am one with their goal to protect the dignity of women in the same way na nakikisa ako sa mga LGBT na maprotektahan din ung dignidad nila. So I said, work it out with the committee if possible huwag ng umabot sa opisina ko at dun pa lang maiayos na nila,” Alvarez said.

Alvarez added, he wants to finish the probe already since he believes there are enough facts to craft the necessary legislation.

The next probe will be on October 6 and 7, according to committee chairman Rey Umali.

Umali has yet to decide on the matter of the alleged sex video, saying the Department of Justice has not even made a request to the committee asking that it be allowed to play the alleged sex video during the hearing.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com