By Meanne Corvera
Eagle News Service
The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court has yet again reset Senator Leila de Lima’s arraignment for drug-related cases.
Branch 205 Judge Amelia Fabros-Corpuz moved De Lima’s arraignment to May 18 instead, pending resolution of an omnibus motion the senator’s camp filed.
The motion–filed on March 12–seeks a reversal of the court’s order allowing the prosecution to change the criminal information filed against De Lima from illegal drug trading to conspiracy to commit drug trading.
“Nagfile kami ng motion for production of evidence dahil during the preliminary investigation, marami na silang sinabi na mga ebidensya na gagamitin laban kay Senator De Lima so karapatan ng akusado na mabigyan ng kopya ng nasabing ebidensya,” Boni Tacardon, De Lima’s lawyer, added, denying the filing was part of delaying tactics.
De Lima has been charged for her alleged role in the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison when she was justice secretary.
The prosecutors argued she received millions from the trade, used for her senatorial campaign in 2016.
De Lima also faces other drug-related cases in other courts.