THE lone legal counsel of Ronnie Dayan involved in the highly controversial drug cases filed against then Senator Leila de Lima, was lauded by the provincial board for the acquittal again of her client accused in two of three different drug cases

Sixth District Board Member Noel Bince congratulated Second District Heidee Soriano-Pacheco in a resolution for scoring another legal victory, the dismissal of a second drug case last May 13 issued by a Muntinlupa City court on May 12 acquitting De Lima and her former driver, Ronnie Dayan, who were charged of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading, on the ground of reasonable doubt filed during the Duterte administration.

Pacheco told local newsmen that while she and De Lima’s lawyers coordinate with each other for the cases their clients are accused of, she, as Dayan’s assisting counsel, was first to present evidence.

“After I had finished presenting the evidence for Ronnie Dayan, supposed to be next (to present) was former senator De Lima. But what former senator De Lima did was to adopt all the pieces of evidence I had presented for Mr. Dayan which they presented as their evidence too and submitted them for decision of the case,” she said.

“Luckily, based on that evidence we presented, the court rendered judgment acquitting both accused, former senator De Lima and Mr. Dayan,” she added. De Lima has a team of legal counsel while Pacheco is the lone lawyer of Dayan.

One more drug-related case is pending before Branch 256 of Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court.  Their next hearing is set on June 5.

De Lima, Dayan and three others, had filed petition for bail separately.
Pacheco said the recantation of Mr. (Rafael) Ragos, former Bureau of Corrections chief,

served as a big instrument that was considered by the court for the acquittal because it established the existence of reasonable doubt.

The first case filed against the accused was also based mainly on the first statement of Ragos who initially claimed to have delivered drug money to De Lima through Dayan, Pacheco said.

Pacheco said the court clearly stated that, “The prosecution had competently established drug-related activities inside the NBP (National Bilibid Prison). But it failed to establish the connection or participation of former senator De Lima and Mr. Dayan in the drug-related activities.”

Pacheco said they have another case in a Quezon City court which is bailable.

Both Dayan and Pacheco are from Urbiztondo town and she admitted that she was very cautious and careful after accepting Dayan’s case because under the Duterte administration, the case was very sensational, “it was like this was a marked case”.

Pacheco started her law practice in 2001 and Dayan’s is the most sensational case she had handled so far because one of the accused is a high-profile individual. (Eva Visperas)

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments