Pinagtibay ng Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) ang desisyon nitong i-abswelto si Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist Rep. Atty. Leila de Lima at ang dati nitong aide na si Ronnie Dayan, matapos i-withdraw ng prosecution ang kanilang Motion for Reconsideration, hinggil sa mga kasong may kinalaman umano sa ilegal na droga.

Sa inilabas na order ng Muntinlupa RTC Branch 207 noong Martes, Setyembre 30, nasasaad na ang kaso ni De Lima ay may “acquittal” na, kung kaya’t dapat na i-exercise ng Korte ang sound discretion nito at pagbigyan ang hiling ng Panel of Public Prosecutors na i-withdraw ang kanilang mosyon.

“Considering that this case already involves an acquittal, the Court shall exercise sound discretion and allow withdrawal of the prosecution’s motion for reconsideration. Indeed, the directive of the Honorable Prosecutor General upon the panel of prosecutors to withdraw the motion is impressed with merit,” nasasaad sa order.

“WHEREFORE, premises considered, the Motion to Withdraw (Motion for Reconsideration dated 14 July 2025) filed by the prosecution is GRANTED. With the withdrawal of the motion for reconsideration, this case is hereby deemed CLOSED and TERMINATED,” karagdagan pa nito.

Nilinaw din ng nasabing order na ang “acquittal” ay nagiging pinal “immediately upon promulgation,” at hindi na maaaring itama o ibahin. Sa kasong ito, labag na umano sa Constitutional prohibition against double jeopardy kung pagbibigyan ang motion for reconsideration na inihain kay De Lima ng nasabing prosekyusyon.

“To reiterate and emphasize, every acquittal becomes final immediately upon promulgation and cannot be recalled for correction or amendment. With the acquittal being immediately final, granting the State’s motion for reconsideration in this case would violate the Constitutional prohibition against double jeopardy because it would effectively reopen the prosecution and subject the accused to a second jeopardy despite their acquittal,” anang order.

National

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