Former Senator Leila De Lima announced Thursday that she is ready to appeal to the Supreme Court if necessary, following a Court of Appeals (CA) decision to nullify a lower court’s acquittal of her and former aide Ronnie Dayan in drug-related charges.
De Lima emphasized that her acquittal by the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) still stands and remains legally binding under the double jeopardy rule. She clarified that the CA’s decision does not overturn the acquittal but seeks clarification on the RTC’s ruling.
The CA’s Eighth Division had granted the Solicitor General’s petition for certiorari, citing the RTC’s lack of detailed legal reasoning behind the acquittal. It questioned the lower court’s handling of testimony withdrawals by former Bureau of Corrections chief Rafael Ragos.
De Lima called the ruling “puzzling,” arguing the case records already provide clear justification for the acquittal. She plans to file a Motion for Reconsideration highlighting these details.
She also stressed that the CA did not reverse the verdict but simply asked for a clearer explanation. Despite this development, De Lima confirmed it would not derail her return to politics as the top nominee of the ML Party-list, which won a congressional seat in the upcoming 20th Congress.