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Tuesday, October 10, 2017

JUST IN: Supreme Court has decided, De Lima stays in jail


Manila, Philippines – Will Senator Leila De Lima be released or she will stay in jail?

The question has just been answered on Tuesday morning of October 10, when De Lima’s petition to dismiss the illegal drugs charges against her got declined by the Supreme Court.

With voting result of 9-6, the SC has decided to junk her appeal.

Prior to decision, there were series of deliberations made on De lima’s case but the court has decided to vote instead schedule on October 10.

On October, an article written by Jomar Canlas of Manila Times says that the voting is expected at 9-6 or 8-7 against De Lima.

It was also reported (yesterday) that there were six justices, including the chief justice herself, who are in favor of granting the petition of the detained senator. Five out of six, have separately issued nonconforming opinion to a draft decision to junk De Lima’s request; Justices Antonio Carpio, Marvic Leonen, Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa and Francis Jardeleza.

As expected, Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno has also voted for De Lima's favor. The lady senator and Sereno are both appointees of former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd and the two are also close allies.

Meanwhile, Associate Justices Samuel Martires, Noel Tijam, Andres Reyes Jr. and Alexander Gesmundo were expected to vote against De Lima. They were President Rodrigo Duterte’s appointees in the tribunal.

Furthermore, reports also said that it was Justice Presbitero Velasco who swayed the majority to dismiss the request of De Lima due to lack of merit.

Although De Lima has previously asked Velasco to inhibit from her case due to “conflict of interest”, the latter, however, refused.

With the SC's decision, Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court's jurisdiction over her case will be upheld still.
 

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