Court upholds ex-Sen. De Lima’s acquittal on last drug case

Metro Manila, Philippines – A Muntinlupa court denied an appeal on the demurrer to evidence granted to former Senator Leila de Lima in relation to her drug case.

In a document released on Thursday, Aug. 29, the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206 said that such an order cannot be appealed.

Demurrer to evidence is a legal measure for an accused to question if an evidence is sufficient to pursue proceedings. If granted, the accused is acquitted.

“The only way to vacate the judgement of acquittal is by showing that the court which granted the demurrer to evidence committed grave abuse of discretion,” the court said.

“The prosecution, in its motion for reconsideration did not even ascribe grave abuse of discretion on the part of the court,” it noted.

The former lawmaker was in detention for more than six years for three drug charges filed during the Duterte administration, of which she was a staunch critic.

She said that charges were trumped up.

De Lima’s first drug case was dismissed in 2021, the second in 2023. She was granted bail last year for her third case.

She filed the demurrer to evidence in March and the court granted it in July.

NewsWatch Plus correspondent Daniza Fernandez contributed to this report.