MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has moved to withdraw its motion for reconsideration seeking to reverse the acquittal of former justice secretary and current party-list representative Leila de Lima in her final drug case.
The instruction to drop the motion was issued by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and relayed to Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon. According to Fadullon, the panel of prosecutors led by Provincial Prosecutor Ramoncito Bienvenido Ocampo Jr. has been directed to file a formal motion to withdraw the reconsideration plea within the week.
“Yes, we spoke about it, and instructions have been given to the panel head to immediately cause the withdrawal of the MR,” Fadullon confirmed.
The DOJ originally filed the motion for reconsideration on June 27, arguing that there was still sufficient evidence to convict De Lima despite the recantation of star witness Rafael Ragos, the former officer-in-charge of the Bureau of Corrections. Ragos had earlier testified that he delivered drug money to De Lima but later retracted his claims, saying he was coerced.
De Lima was arrested in 2017 during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, whose controversial anti-drug campaign she publicly opposed. She faced three separate drug trafficking charges and spent over six years in detention while maintaining her innocence.
In November 2023, she was granted bail after being acquitted in two cases. The final case, in which she was accused of receiving drug money from New Bilibid Prison inmates in exchange for allowing illegal drug operations while she was justice secretary, ended in her acquittal in June 2024.
With the DOJ now formally dropping its challenge to her final acquittal, De Lima’s legal battle appears to have reached a definitive end.
Supporters of De Lima view the move as a long-overdue step toward justice, calling her prosecution politically motivated. Human rights advocates and legal experts had consistently criticized her detention, citing weak evidence and coerced testimonies.
De Lima, for her part, has vowed to continue her public service and fight for human rights and judicial reform. Her legal team has not issued a statement but is expected to welcome the DOJ’s latest move.