MANILA, Philippines — A Muntinlupa court acquitted former senator Leila De Lima and co-accused Ronnie Dayan of drug trading charges, reaffirming its decision that was previously overturned by the Court of Appeals.
The Regional Trial Court Branch 204 ruled that prosecutors failed to establish the defendants’ guilt beyond reasonable doubt, particularly after the recantation of key witness Rafael Ragos, a former Bureau of Corrections official.
This marks the second acquittal for De Lima and Dayan in the case. In 2023, the same court initially cleared them, but the Court of Appeals Eighth Division nullified that decision in May 2025. The appellate court found the lower court improperly relied on Ragos’ recantation without sufficient scrutiny and ordered a fresh review of the case.
Ragos had originally testified that he delivered ₱10 million in drug money from New Bilibid Prison inmates to De Lima in 2012, but later withdrew his statement, claiming he was coerced into giving false testimony.
In its latest ruling, the trial court maintained that without Ragos’ testimony, the prosecution’s case lacked sufficient evidence to prove conspiracy between the defendants and inmates involved in prison drug trafficking.
De Lima, a prominent critic of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war, was detained for nearly seven years before being granted bail in 2023. She has consistently denied the charges, calling them politically motivated.
The Department of Justice has not yet indicated whether it would appeal the latest acquittal. Legal experts note that further appeals would face significant hurdles given the trial court’s repeated findings on insufficient evidence.
The case stemmed from allegations that De Lima, as then-Justice secretary, benefited from drug trade operations inside the national penitentiary during her 2016 Senate campaign.
