DETAINED Sen. Leila de Lima has asked the Court of Appeals (CA) to stop the Muntinlupa City regional trial court (RTC) from hearing the testimonies of 13 convicts who have been lined up as witnesses in the illegal drugs trading cases filed against her.
De Lima pleaded the CA to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) after Branch 206 of the RTC presided by Judge Lorna Navarro Domingo denied her motion to disqualify the 13 witnesses.
On De Lima’s motion, Judge Domingo inhibited herself from hearing the cases. She said her inhibition was meant to show “good faith” to the prosecution and defense panels.
Sought to be disqualified as witnesses were convicts German Agojo, Nonilo Arile, Jojo Baligad, Joel Capones, Peter Co, Herbert Colanggo, Engelberto Durano, Rodolfo Magleo, Noel Martinez, Jaime Patcho, Vicente Sy, Hans Tan, and Froilan Trestiza.
De Lima told the CA that convicted criminals are disqualified from becoming state witnesses under Section 10 of Republic Act No. 6981, the Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act (WPSB), and Section 20 of Rule 130 of the Rules of Court which states that criminal conviction is a ground for disqualification from being a witness when so provided by law. (Rey Panaligan)
