Another witness in the remaining drug case of former Senator Leila de Lima is set to retract his statement to “free all accused who were wrongfully charged” in court. and to "disclose the real truthfulness that the criminal complaints against accuses [sic] are pure Hearsay [sic] and full of lies."
In a letter dated December 18, Retired Police Brig. Gen. Jerry Valeroso, a former investigator from the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), told the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206 his plans to recant his initial testimonies against De Lima.
It was Valeroso who earlier testified that he saw De Lima, during her stint as Department of Justice (DOJ) secretary under the Aquino administration, attending the concert of convicted drug lord Herbert Colanggo inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
According to Valeroso, he had been considering recanting his statements since 2019 but hesitated due to his and his family's safety.
The retired police officer plans to submit his official affidavit of recantation to the RTC after consulting with his lawyer.
De Lima, known as a staunch critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte, was granted post-bail for her third and final pending drug case last November 13 after six years of detention.
She and her co-accused — former Corrections Director Franklin Bucayu, Ronnie Dayan, Joenel Sanchez, and Jad Dera — were allowed to post bail of PHP 300,000 each.
Other witnesses against De Lima who have already recanted their testimonies were Kerwin Espinosa, Rodolfo Magleo, and Nonilo Arile.
