Probe prosecutors who appealed De Lima’s acquittal twice, DOJ asked

Mamamayang Liberal (ML) party list Rep. Leila de Lima asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday to investigate the 10 government prosecutors who filed two motions for reconsideration following her acquittal in one of the three drug cases filed against her under former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Accusing the government lawyers of “grave misconduct and gross ignorance of the law,” De Lima said in her formal complaint to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla that the “shocking and brazen move” of the prosecutors was a politically-motivated persecution instigated by Duterte.

“Mr. Secretary, the integrity of the Department of Justice has been deeply eroded by this politically motivated persecution. Restoring public trust requires a resolute stand against the abuse of prosecutorial power. The prosecutors who lent their authority to this travesty must not be allowed to continue wielding the powers of the State with impunity,” she said.

Her lawyer, Dino de Leon, said she has asked for an investigation of Provincial Prosecutor Ramoncito Bienvenido Ocampo Jr. and the nine other members of the panel who filed the two motions for reconsideration.

While hoping that the DOJ will act on the matter internally, De Leon said they are also planning to pursue legal remedies in other appropriate courts, including the Office of the Ombudsman.

Trumped up charges

De Lima was jailed for over seven years over what she said were trumped up charges instigated by Duterte in retaliation for her inquiry into his bloody drug war. She has since been completely absolved.

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After the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) acquitted her in one of the three cases on May 12, 2023, on grounds of “reasonable doubt” after a key witness recanted, the 10 prosecutors filed a motion for reconsideration that was denied by the court on July 6, 2023.

The Office of the Solicitor General later filed a petition for certiorari with the Court of Appeals (CA) to nullify De Lima’s acquittal. This was granted in April this year by the CA, which voided her acquittal and remanded the case back to the RTC.

On June 27, the RTC issued a revised and lengthy ruling affirming the acquittal of De Lima and her former aide Ronnie Dayan.