The presiding judge of Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 204 on Thursday voluntarily inhibits himself from hearing the last and third illegal drug case of former Senator Leila de Lima.
This comes after the Department of Justice (DOJ) panel of prosecutors filed a motion for voluntary inhibition which asked Muntinlupa 204 presiding judge Abraham Joseph Alcantara to stop handling the last case.
They cited that removing Alcantara will "maintain and preserve the trust and faith of the party-litigants" since he was the judge who acquitted the former Senator in her second drug case.
"To erase any doubts as to the impartiality of the Presiding Judge as well as to remove any impression that he will similarly decide on the instant case in favor of the accused, the prosecution respectfully submitted the motion for voluntary inhibition," the order reads.
The court noted that Alcantara voluntarily desist from hearing the case "not because the prosecution's assertion is true but to put to rest any questions against his credibility, integrity, and fairness."
The case of de Lima will be transmitted to the Muntinlupa City RTC's Office of the Clerk of Court for re-raffle.
Last June, Alcantara was assigned to the former Senator's last illegal drug case after Muntinlupa RTC Branch 256 Judge Romeo Buenaventura voluntarily inhibit.
Buenaventura inhibited himself from hearing the case due to the question of impartiality raised by de Lima's co-accused and former aides Ronnie Dayan and Joenel Sanchez, and former Bureau of Correction (BuCor) chief Franklin Bucayu.
