MANILA — The Court of Appeals has voided the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court’s 2023 decision that acquitted former Senator Leila De Lima and her former aide Ronnie Dayan of drug trafficking charges, citing insufficient explanation and legal basis.
In a ruling dated April 30, the CA’s Eighth Division granted a petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General, ordering the case to be returned to Muntinlupa RTC Branch 204 for proper resolution based on clear legal and factual grounds.
The CA criticized the RTC’s reliance on the retraction of testimony by former Bureau of Corrections chief Rafael Ragos, who previously claimed to have delivered drug money to De Lima in 2012 but later recanted in 2022. The appellate court said the RTC failed to specify what Ragos retracted, how it affected proven facts, and which legal elements were unproven.
De Lima, responding to the decision, argued that the CA had not overturned her acquittal but merely called for clarification. She maintains her acquittal remains legally valid under the double jeopardy principle and is prepared to elevate the matter to the Supreme Court if necessary.
The CA emphasized the need for detailed reasoning in court rulings, saying the RTC’s lack of explanation violated due process and judicial standards. It said the trial court’s omissions constituted grave abuse of discretion.
Despite this legal development, De Lima is expected to join Congress as the first nominee of ML Party-list, which won a seat in the 20th Congress.