Muntinlupa court closes De Lima drug case after prosecution withdraws appeal

The Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 204 has declared the last illegal drugs case against former Senator Leila De Lima as "closed and terminated."

This decision followed the granting of the prosecution's motion to withdraw their appeal challenging De Lima's acquittal.

The RTC emphasized that an acquittal is immediately final and cannot be recalled, as doing so would violate the Constitutional prohibition against double jeopardy.

The court had previously acquitted De Lima and her former driver Ronnie Dayan in May 2023, citing reasonable doubt due to witness retractions.

However, the Court of Appeals had declared the acquittal decision null and void and remanded the case back to the RTC in May.

Despite this, the RTC affirmed its acquittal decision in June, leading prosecutors to file the motion for reconsideration that was subsequently withdrawn.