Business and civil society groups appealed appealed to the government to reconsider the remaining charges against Senator Leila de Lima following a statement by the European Parliament calling for her immediate releases and witnesses who retracted their allegations against the human rights lawyer.
“Said charges have not progressed after five long years, and one charge was already dismissed by the courts,” the group said in a statement. The group also cited the European Parliament statement a week earlier, calling for the Senator’s “immediate and unconditional release”. Subsequently, another news report cited an affidavit notarized on April 30, 2022, where Rafael Ragos, a second witness and former officer-in-charge for the Bureau of Corrections , alleged that he too had been “coerced” into testifying against the Senator.
In light of the recanted statements of said witnesses and in deference to the constitutional right of an accused to speedy trial, the groups urgently appeal that “appropriate action be immediately taken to resolve the case at the earliest possible time.”