Department of Justice Secretary (DOJ) Jesus Crispin 'Boying' Remulla stated on Friday that the judge who handled the last drug case against former Senator Leila de Lima might have "felt some pressure" to recuse himself from the case after previously dismissing the latter's motion to post bond.
Judge Romeo Buenaventura of Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 256 allowed the applications for inhibition submitted by De Lima's former aides, Ronnie Dayan and Joenel Sanchez, as well as former Bureau of Corrections head Franklin Jesus Bucayu.
In a news conference, Remulla stated that recusing oneself from a case is a "personal thing" for judges, but there is "always pressure involved."
The Department of Justice, according to Remulla, gives the judge "the respect they deserve" and does not direct the prosecution of the case for institutional continuity.
After finding that the judge is the brother of lawyer Emmanuel Buenaventura, the late congressman Reynaldo Umali's former counsel, De Lima's co-accused, begged Buenaventura to stop handling the case.
Umali was the head of the House of Representatives Justice committee during hearings into an alleged illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison involving De Lima.
Buenaventura stated in his seven-page judgment dated June 15 that the suspicion, while false, cannot be dismissed since it has already "tarnished the integrity and impartiality" of the court and the "needed trust and confidence" in all procedures in the case.
Due to the judge's inhibition, the case records will be forwarded to the executive judge for re-raffle to other parts of the court in order to continue the proceedings.

Meanwhile, last week, Buenaventura refused bail applications by De Lima, Sanchez, Dayan, Bucayu, and the former senator's suspected bagman, Jose Adrian Dera, citing substantial proof of their guilt.

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Judge handling De Lima’s drug case may have “felt some pressure” – Remulla