By Monsi A. Serrano
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday said he has directed the Prosecutor General to “stop the foolishness” surrounding the case against former senator and now Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, accusing those handling the case of pursuing a “political agenda.”
“I actually talked to the Prosecutor General this morning and told him to stop the foolishness of these people under us. Because they’re following a political agenda, not a legal agenda,” Remulla said in an exclusive interview with THEPHILBIZNEWS. “So we will take over this and have it dismissed eventually.”
De Lima, a former Justice Secretary, senator, human rights chief, and vocal critic of former president Rodrigo Duterte, was detained in 2017 over what she has consistently described as trumped-up drug charges based on testimonies from convicted felons. Nearly seven years later, she has been acquitted in two of three cases, while the remaining charge has been revived for review by prosecutors who rose from the ranks during Duterte’s presidency.
Remulla’s directive signals a definitive shift in how the Department of Justice will handle the last remaining charge against the lawmaker.
In the same interview, Remulla addressed the stalled resolution of the assassination case of broadcast journalist Percy Lapid.
Lapid, whose real name is Percival Mabasa, was a veteran radio broadcaster known for his fearless commentaries on corruption, political abuse, and powerful figures, including former president Duterte. He was shot dead in Las Piñas in October 2022.
“The problem is [former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald] Bantag is not yet arrested. But we are not stopping our efforts to get Bantag,” Remulla said. “We have managed to deliver the message that there are no people exempted from the law.”
“Nobody will just escape from it because of money, stature, fame, opposition. We will run after anybody who violates the law,” he added.
Investigations later linked high-ranking Bureau of Corrections officials, including the bureau’s then-chief Bantag, to the murder. Bantag remains at large despite warrants issued for his arrest.
Remulla also reiterated his broader stance against corruption in government, citing it as the main challenge in cases such as that of controversial Bamban Mayor Alice Guo. “Corruption is the problem,” he said, vowing that her ongoing prosecution would serve as a reminder that the law will be enforced.
Remulla granted THEPHILBIZNEWS an exclusive interview after a bilateral meeting with Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Law and Human Rights Yusril Mahendra.
The justice secretary expressed optimism about a strengthened legal and regional partnership. “We share a bond beyond diplomacy—we are brothers at sea,” he said. “Our people, history, and values are deeply interlinked. We hope for a more fluid and collaborative approach to addressing regional concerns.”
