A financial investigator from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and a Digital Forensic Examiner from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) have reaffirmed under oath that Senator Leila M. de Lima was not involved in any suspicious transaction that would link her in the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
De Lima’s legal counsel Atty. Boni Tacardon said that AMLC Financial Investigator Artemio Baculi, Jr. and PDEA Digital Forensic Examiner Krystal Caseñas both affirmed that they found no suspicious transactions between De Lima and drug convicts.
De Lima, who remains detained over trumped-up drug charges, attended the hearing earlier today (Oct. 23) in Criminal Case No. 17-165 and 17-166 at the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 205 via teleconferencing from her detention quarters at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
“Kanina, pinresent si Mr. Artemio Baculi ng AMLC sa Criminal Case No. 165, at ang sabi nya, kahit naririnig niya sa mga usapan ang pangalan ni Senator De Lima, eh hindi niya kailanman inimbestigahan ang Senadora,” Tacardon said.
“Pinatotoo niya na walang transaction between Peter Co, Ronnie Dayan na kapwa akusado sa kasong ito, pati na rin kay Senator De Lima,” Tacardon added.
It may be recalled that Baculi first appeared before Branch 205 last Sept. 25 wherein he admitted that his investigation of people suspected to have been involved in the Bilibid drug trade showed that no money flowed from the bank accounts which were the subject of his investigation to either De Lima or her co-accused in Criminal Case No. 17-166, Jose Adrian Dera.
Caseñas, on the other hand, revealed a very crucial information.
“Sa Criminal Case No. 166 naman, pinresenta ng prosecution si Ms. Kristal Caseñas. Napaka-importante ng sinabi niya kanina, napaamin kasi natin sya sa aming pagtatanong, na dun sa cellphone extraction report na inilabas ng PDEA sa pamamagitan ni Caseñas, walang nakalagay na may transaction si Jad Dera (De Lima’s co-accused) at si Senator De Lima relating to any drug transactions,” Tacardon explained.
Tacardon further stated: “Sa hawak nilang mga cellphone na sinasabing pagmamay-ari ng mga drug lords, wala kung saanman doon na nakalagay na si Senator De Lima ay naging parte ng isang drug transaction. Yun ang naging crucial kanina lalo na sariling mga testigo ng prosecution yung mga nandoon.”
Caseñas’ affidavit indicating that the cellphones she received from the Bureau of Corrections were Peter Co’s property, meanwhile, was stricken off by the Court, as this was only her opinion.
In fact, Tacardon pointed out that Caseñas may have violated the Cybercrime Law when she examined Co’s phones without proper warrant.
“Lumalabas na unauthorized examination ang ginawa sa mobile phones na sinasabing pagmamay-ari ni Peter Co dahil hindi sila kumuha ng cyber warrant required under RA 10175 o yung Cybercrime Prevention Act,” he said.
“Kapag hindi ka kumuha ng cyber warrant, any evidence recovered will be excluded and may even result to the examiner facing criminal and administrative liabilities,” he added.
De Lima recently filed two separate and distinct Motions for Bail for both Conspiracy to Commit Illegal Drug Trading cases, asserting that the Prosecution’s evidence against her is not strong, and in fact confirmatory of her innocence of the charges. As of this writing, Judge Liezel Aquiatan has yet to rule on both Motions. (30)