Muntinlupa RTC orders Arrest of Sen De Lima

WATCH: CIDG-NCR personnel prepare to leave Camp Crame to provide security escort to Sen Leila de Lima. | via @maan_macapagal pic.twitter.com/3yKKWHpm3h

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) February 23, 2017

Judge Juanita Guerrero of the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court Branch 204 issued the arrest warrants for De Lima and her co-accused, former Bureau of Corrections officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos and her former driver-bodyguard Ronnie Dayan for one of the three drug trafficking cases filed by the Department of Justice in relation to her alleged participation in the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the New Bilibid Prison.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II welcomed the development, saying in a television interview that the arrest order was "expected because we filed a strong case."

Citing Ragos' affidavit, the DOJ alleged that De Lima received around P10 million from drug payoffs from November 2012 to January 2013. Ragos said he delivered, along with aide Jovencio Ablen Jr., the money to De Lima's house in Parañaque City.

"In December 2012, he (Ragos) received a call to deliver a plastic bag containing money from (convict) Peter Co to Dayan. The bag was left on his bedside at the BuCor quarters. He and Ablen went to the house of De Lima, where he handed the bag to Dayan," the DOJ said in a joint resolution.

"On four occasions in January 2013, he received P1.7 million from Ablen broken down as follows: P1 million, P300,000 and two P200,000, all of which came from inmates. He delivered the money to Dayan at De Lima's house," it added.

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Senador Leila de Lima Nag-React sa Caucus ng Senado tungkol sa Warrant of Arrest sa Kanya

Here's the reaction of Senador Leila de Lima on Senate Caucus regarding her arrest warrant, in an interview with Kabayan Noli de Castro on DZMM teleradyo:

De Lima: Ngayon ko pa lang nalaman nang mabasa ko sa dyaryo. Wala pang notice sa atin tungkol sa caucus.

De Lima sa 3 kasong isinampa sa kanya: Natatawa ako sa charges na yan. Para sa akin, it so surreal and unbelievable.

De Lima: Kung kanino man mapunta itong kaso, pag-aralan muna nila 'yan.

De Lima: Kailangan na makumbinsido ang judge, na dapat may jurisdiction at may probable cause. Yan ang nire-raise ng aking mga abogado.

De Lima: Mariin kong tinatanggi ang mga sinasabi nila sa akin.

De Lima: 'Yung mga tunay na dawit sa illegal drug trade ay hindi kinasuhan ng DOJ. Pilit na pilit ang mga alegasyon nila sa akin.

De Lima: Ang gusto muna namin ay ma-dismiss ang mga kaso na ito sa RTC.

De Lima: Ang may jurisdiction dito ay ang Ombudsman at ang Sandiganbayan.

De Lima: Wala po akong kino-commit na acts of persecution.

De Lima: Hinding hindi ko inabuso ang aking kapangyarihan kaya I don't deserve this.

De Lima: Walang basehan ang kanilang kaso.

De Lima: Hinding hindi ako magtatago. Hinding hindi ako tatakas dahil malinis po ang aking konsensya.

De Lima: Huwag naman silang ganyan na masyadong nanggigipit. Alam nila 'yan na ang mga sinampang kaso sa akin ay gawa-gawa lamang.

De Lima sa planong pagpapalaya kay Napoles: Isang kahibangan na naman iyan ng administrasyong ito.

De Lima: Hindi natin alam kung ano ang hidden agenda ng administrasyong ito sa pagpapakawala kay Napoles.

De Lima: Gagamitin na naman siya (Napoles) sa pang iipit ng ibang tao. Maaaring gamitin siya para ako ay ipitin din.