The Department of Justice (DOJ) panel of prosecutors on Tuesday filed a motion for reconsideration which seeks to reverse the ruling of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) on the acquittal of former Senator Leila de Lima in one of her two remaining drug charges.
In the filed motion, DOJ prosecutors questioned the "motive behind the sudden retraction" of star witness former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer-in-charge (OIC) Rafael Ragos.
"[A]fter more than four years of earsplitting silence, the witness sang another song and recanted his previous testimony and that the news came as a bombshell eight days before the 2022 Presidential Election, where the accused Sen. De Lima was seeking re-election," they said.
"This clearly raises doubt as to the motive behind the sudden retraction," the DOJ panel added.
They argued that the recantation of Ragos was "not sufficient to vitiate his original testimony" that he voluntarily and solemnly made before the House of Representatives, Senate, media, and the court under oath.
The DOJ panel prosecutors pointed out that setting aside a testimony that was "solemnly taken before a court" is a "mockery" of the Philippines justice system.
"In view of the foregoing, the Prosecution most respectfully prays that the Honorable Court's Decision dated May 12, 2023, be reconsidered, and a new decision be rendered declaring both accused guilty of the crime charged," they further said.
Last May 12, the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 204 acquitted de Lima in one of her two remaining illegal drugs charges.
The former senator’s legal counsel Atty. Boni Tacardon earlier said that Muntinlupa RTC acquitted the latter as the prosecution failed to present positive evidence to prove that de Lima is involved in the illegal drug trade.
He added that the recantation of Ragos also helped in nullifying the evidence previously presented by the prosecution.
