De Lima camp welcomes Ragos’ retraction
The new security measures being implemented are the stricter guidelines when enrolling a disbursement account in the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module.
Daily TribuneThe new security measures being implemented are the stricter guidelines when enrolling a disbursement account in the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module.
PHOTOGRAPH BY JOEY SANCHEZ MENDOZA FOR THE DAILY TRIBUNE@tribunephl_joey
The camp of detained former senator Leila de Lima yesterday welcomed the testimony of former Bureau of Corrections deputy director Rafael Ragos that he was forced to testify against her fearing for his life.
Ragos spoke anew before the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204 saying he lied in his issued statements against De Lima linking her to the illegal drugs trade.
Atty. Boni Tacardon, De Lima's lawyer, said Ragos' court testimony proved that he was telling the truth regarding his retraction of the statements that implicated the former senator.
"So far, deputy director Ragos is consistent and his affidavit has not changed that he was threatened, and bribed to execute the affidavits. As he told the court earlier, he feared for himself, he feared for his family, he feared for his career, that is why he did those things," Tacardon said.
The Muntinlupa court held a hearing on case No. 17-165, which accused De Lima and Ronnie Dayan of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading that allegedly happened during her time as justice secretary.
In his original affidavits and testimonies in 2016, 2017 and 2019, Ragos claimed that he delivered P10 million to the house of De Lima in Parañaque in November and December 2012.
The money allegedly came from the proceeds of the illegal drugs trade in the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City. He claimed then it was De Lima's share, supposedly to be used by her as campaign funds in the 2013 elections.
But on 30 April this year, Ragos executed an affidavit clearing De Lima and Dayan, saying he did not deliver any money to the former senator's residence.
"As far as I know and based on my professional relationship with Secretary De Lima, she is incapable of doing anything illegal, much less engage in the illegal drug trade ог accept money from Bilibid inmates. All of my allegations to contrary in my affidavits and House and court testimonies are fiction, false, and fabricated," Ragos said.
He added that he was "forced (to) execute the above affidavits and deliver the above House and court testimonies against Lima and Dayan due threats he would be detained for crimes he "did not commit."
In September 2016, Ragos said before a House hearing on the illegal drug trade in NBP that he "was ordered by former Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, thru one Danny Yang, to attend a meeting in Solaire Resort in Parañaque with former National Bureau Intelligence Director Dante Gierran and John Vries."
He claimed that during the meeting, "Aguirre interrogated and coerced me to admit something that did not happen. He escorted me to another room where Ablen was, and they showed me a copy of a statement. I asked them: 'Ano 'yan? (What's that?) Ablen responded: "Esmeralda and I made it, he has a copy."
Ragos added in his new affidavit that, "when I asked Secretary Aguirre what they want me to do, he said: 'Mag- execute ka ng affidavit, mag-corroborate ka sa statement ni Ablen, kung hindi, alam mo naman mangyayari. (Execute an affidavit, corroborate the statement of Ablen, if not, you know what will happen).' Atty. Salvador drafted the affidavit implicating Senator De Lima in illegal transactions during her stint as then Justice Secretary."
As she was leaving the Muntinlupa Hall of Justice, De Lima was heard uttering: "Please pray that I can be freed soon."
The former lawmaker has been detained for more than five years since February 2017 when the DoJ filed three cases of illegal drugs trading against her, which were later changed to conspiring to commit illegal drug trading.