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In May, a Court of Appeals division remanded De Lima’s case to the lower court and ordered the judge to write a new decision
MANILA, Philippines – The Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court (RTC) has acquitted former senator and incoming Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Representative Leila de Lima of her drug charge, months after the Court of Appeals (CA) remanded her case to the lower court.
“WHEREFORE, both accused Leila M. De Lima y Magistrado and Ronnie Palisoc Dayan are hereby ACQUITTED of the crime charged on the ground of reasonable doubt,” Muntinlupa RTC Branch 204 Presiding Judge Abraham Joseph Alcantara wrote in a decision dated Friday, June 27.
De Lima and Dayan are acquitted again in their case filed under former president Rodrigo Duterte’s term for alleged illegal drug trading under the comprehensive dangerous drugs act of 2002.
In May, the CA Eighth Division voided the decision that acquitted De Lima and Dayan in May 2023. The CA division also remanded the case to the RTC and ordered Alcantara to write a new decision.
This CA decision did not bring De Lima back to detention as her acquittal in all of her Duterte-time three drug cases were still in effect, according to her defense.
Two years after her freedom in 2023, De Lima ran and won as Mamamayang Liberal’s 1st nominee in 2025, and is set to make a comeback as a lawmaker in the coming 20th Congress.
She will be part of the House’s prosecution team for the upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. – Rappler.com
