Another judge inhibits from De Lima drug case

MANILA, Philippines — A Muntinlupa judge on Tuesday inhibited from tackling the government’s drug charges against Sen. Leila De Lima.

Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206 Acting Presiding Judge Lorna Navarro Domingo issued a five-page resolution on De Lima’s motion for inhibition claiming the judge has shown “manifest bias, partiality and acts of prejudgment” against her.

While Domingo said that there is no sufficient ground cited in De Lima’s plea, the judge said that she is recusing from the case “in order to show good faith to all parties [concerned].”

In her motion, the senator noted that she asked the court to drop the 13 convicts listed by the DOJ as witnesses in the drug case. She argued that the witnesses were convicted of crimes with “moral turpitude” that goes against Republic Act 6981 or the Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act.

De Lima said that Domingo ruled prematurely on her appeal on the court’s ruling on the motion for disqualification of witnesses.

But Domingo, in her resolution, stated that she allowed De Lima to file their Reply but it was filed out of time or beyond the time allowed by rules.

“There is no mistake to correct. So the court merely reiterated the order dated September 24, 2018,” the resolution read. Domingo was referring to her previous ruling that junked De Lima’s plea on prosecution’s witnesses.

Media coverage on De Lima's trial

The senator also raised that Domingo barred members of the media from covering the trial.

But the judge stated: “Only media men were not allowed inside the courtroom to cover the proceedings since it would distract the parties as well as the lawyers inside. The Court observes sub-judice rule.”

She only pointed out that she has allowed foreign observers to attend the trial.

The STAR earlier reported that the Supreme Court has allowed media coverage of De Lima’s trial. Details or guidelines emanating from the SC’s action, however, have yet to be released in public.

According to the camp of De Lima, Domingo is already the fourth judge to inhibit from the cases filed against her.

While Domingo is the first to inhibit from the case lodged before Muntinlupa RTC Branch 206, three other judges handling the cases took their hands off it.

Judges Juanita Guerrero, Myra Quiambao and Antonietta Medina inhibited, while Judge Patria Manalastas-De Leon—who held the Muntinlupa Branch 206’s sala—opted to retire early.

The senator has been detained at Camp Crame since February last year. She has been accused of allowing the proliferation of drugs inside the New Bilibid Prison during her stint as Justice secretary.

She has repeatedly said the allegations against her are motivated by politics. She is one of President Rodrigo Duterte's most vocal critics and investigated allegations of extrajudicial killings in Davao City while Justice secretary and Commission on Human Rights chairperson before that.