The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court’s Branch 206 has entered a not guilty plea for detained Senator Leila de Lima.
De Lima’s lawyer, Boni Tacardon, said that the senator, who was finally arranged before the Muntinlupa court after a year and five months in detention, refused to enter a plea.
Instead, it was Judge, Lorna Navarro-Domingo, who entered a “not guilty” plea for the senator, in accordance with court rules.
“I do not recognize the legitimacy and the validity of the charges against me,” De Lima was quoted by her staff as saying in a message to reporters.
“Now, there are two other cases pending before the other Court, this case is completely fabricated and bogus from orchestrated lies. I refuse to enter a plea. I do not recognize these charges,” she said.
De Lima was accused of involvement in the proliferation of illegal drugs in the New Bilibid Prison, and was charged before the Muntinlupa RTC on Feb. 17, 2017. She was served an arrest warrant and turned herself in to authorities exactly a week later.
She is currently detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center. The Supreme Court has denied her appeals against her arrest.