(Eagle News) — A government prosecutor on Wednesday said the gag order they had sought from the court did not include Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, contrary to what some media reports appeared to be saying.
Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong said the gag order which they filed at the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court Branch 204 on March 3 was only intended for Senator Leila de Lima and her lawyers.
De Lima is facing a drug case in Judge Juanita Guerrero’s sala.
The case stems from her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trading in the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa when she was justice secretary.
De Lima–who has been detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center since her arrest on February 24—is also facing drug cases in Branches 205 and 206.
“Very unfair sa part namin na we manifested in court that we might (seek a) gag order… Sabi ni court mag-file kami ng motion tapos nilabas niyo sa TV si Secretary Aguirre na bumababa sa hagdanan. Para bang pinalabas niyo na tinutukoy namin si Secretary Aguirre,” Ong said.
Meanwhile, in a hearing on Friday, Branch 205 Judge Amelia Fabros-Corpuz gave De Lima and the prosecution ten days to submit their reply and comment to the motion to quash filed by the senator’s camp.
The judge also gave De Lima’s camp ten days to to reply to the prosecution’s motion to consolidate the three cases filed against the senator.
The judge also gave the prosecution ten days to comment on the motion for judicial determination of probable cause filed by the senator’s co-accused, her alleged bagman and nephew John Adrian Dera.(With a report from Erwin Temperante)
