ICYMI: De Lima is hoping that the current administration, particularly the Department of Justice, would now see that the cases against her have weak evidence.
“That the government cases against me are all lies and used for Duterte’s vengeful satisfaction continues to unravel. It is high time for the Marcos Jr. administration to see them for what they are,” she added.
Espinosa said he was only pressured to make the testimonies against De Lima. Another prosecution witness–former Bureau of Corrections head Rafael Ragos–said former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II coerced him into delivering his testimonies.The Ombudsman said in the resolution made public on Tuesday that he found glaring inconsistencies in the testimonies of Espinosa and another inmate, Marcelo Adorco, regarding the bribery complaints.
The inaccuracies did not stop there as Espinosa stated that the P8 million supposed bribe was given in four tranches, while Adorco said that the whole sum of money was given during the lunch meeting.The Ombudsman also sided with de Lima, who claimed that the supposed meeting in Baguio City with Espinosa was merely a chance encounter brought by the national campaign for the senatorial elections.
“Said subsequent recantations, while no longer factored in in the OMB Reso as recently released, all the more fortified it’s finding of no probable cause. In fact, it’s more than lack of probable cause. It’s an utterly baseless charge. Factually inexistent,” she added.