News Roundup 24 June 2024
Jun 24, 2024 • 5 min Read
‘Completely free and vindicated’: De Lima cleared of all drug charges | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Former Sen. Leila de Lima has been cleared of her last remaining drug charge after the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 206 on Monday granted her motion for demurrer to evidence.
The outcome of the promulgation was confirmed by De Lima’s lawyer Boni Tacardon on Monday afternoon.
A demurrer is a motion filed on the ground that the evidence presented by the prosecutors is insufficient for a criminal conviction.
If a court grants a demurrer, it effectively dismisses all the charges against an accused.
The former senator has therefore been cleared of all the drug charges against her following today’s promulgation.
In an ambush interview with De Lima following the promulgation, she said that she feels “free and vindicated.”
“The grant of our demurrer to evidence…means now I am completely free and vindicated,” she said.
In a separate ambush interview with the members of the press, Prosecutor Ramoncito Ocampo said that the prosecution is still studying if they will file a motion for reconsideration or other legal remedies assailing the decision of the Muntinlupa RTC.
Nevertheless, Ocampo said that the prosecution is “happy” for the former senator as she is their former boss.
“It is still premature on our part, we have still yet to read the decision, but it is still to be discussed,” Ocampo said.
As of writing, the Department of Justice has yet to issue a statement about the dismissal of De Lima’s case.
Full Story at: ‘Completely free and vindicated’: De Lima cleared of all drug charges | Philstar.com
Aquino admin officials, personalities laud De Lima’s case dismissal | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Opposition figures and former government officials during the administration of late President Benigno Aquino III were delighted by the dismissal of the third and last drug charge faced by former Sen. Leila de Lima.
On Monday, the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 206 granted the former senator’s demurrer to evidence which is tantamount to the case’s dismissal.
In separate statements, supporters of De Lima welcomed the decision of the RTC.
“Vindication,” said Abigail Valte, former presidential spokesperson of Aquino, in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“Congrats, Sen. @AttyLeiladeLima! Your long-awaited personal vindication has finally come. Your next chapter begins,” former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who was a member of the Senate opposition, also said in a post on X.
It can be recalled that De Lima served as the Justice secretary during the Aquino administration.
As of writing, the Department of Justice has yet to issue a statement about her case dismissal.
Meanwhile, in separate statements, the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) and rights group Karapatan also welcomed the decision of the Muntinlupa RTC.
“We have been closely following this last case of the former senator and we laud the decision of Judge Gener Gito granting the demurrer. Leila de Lima is now free like a bird, and all charges are now dismissed. This is a victory not only for de Lima but also for the rule of law and justice in our country,” Sonny Matula, President of FFW said.
“Karapatan welcomes the dismissal of all trumped up charges vs former Sen. Leila de Lima, with the Muntinlupa court granting her demurrer,” Karapatan Secretary General Tinay Palabay also said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Full Story at: Aquino admin officials, personalities laud De Lima’s case dismissal | Philstar.com
Lawmaker hits ‘hypocrisy’ over divorce | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman on Sunday called out the family-based ministry Couples for Christ (CFC) over what he described as its “religious hypocrisy” on the issue of divorce.
“Let us stop the religious hypocrisy being spread by the Couples for Christ that, because of human weakness, the Philippines must not enact a divorce law but instead mend broken marriages,” Lagman, one of the key proponents of the absolute divorce bill in the House of Representatives, said in a statement.
“It is precisely because of human frailties like marital abuse, infidelity, and abandonment, among other mortal weaknesses, that marriages are totally destroyed beyond repair,” he said.
Lagman’s remarks were in response to CFC’s earlier statement, urging the government not to “weaken” marriage through the proposed divorce law and to focus instead on strengthening families.
Full Story at: Lawmaker hits ‘hypocrisy’ over divorce (inquirer.net)
No gov’t downplay of China’s actions in West Philippine Sea – Teodoro | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro said the government is not downplaying China’s recent aggression near Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
He acknowledged that the June 17 incident in the West Philippine Sea was an “aggressive and illegal use of force” by China.
Teodoro’s clarification followed the June 21 press conference of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who said China’s latest behavior near Ayungin was “probably” a “misunderstanding or accident.”
During Monday’s Presidential Communications Office press conference, Teodoro described China’s conduct in the West Philippine Sea as “deliberate act of the Chinese officialdom to prevent [the Philippines] from completing [its] mission.”
“After our visit to our troops in Palawan yesterday where the President personally talked to the troops involved in the RoRe (rotation and resupply), we have now come to the conclusion that it was not a misunderstanding or an accident,” he said.
“We are not downplaying the incident. It was an aggressive and illegal use of force,” he added.
Asked why Bersamin said it could have simply been a “misunderstanding or accident,” Teodoro responded that the pronouncement was merely based on a “preliminary assessment.”
Full Story at: No gov’t downplay of China’s actions in West Philippine Sea – Teodoro | INQUIRER.net
