A FORMER investigator of the Philippine National Police’ Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) became the latest government witness to recant his allegations against former Senator Leila de Lima.
According to De Lima’s counsel Filibon Tacardo, former Police Brig. Gen. Jerry Valeroso has submitted a “letter of intent to recant” his testimony against De Lima in connection with her drug trading charges.
“Because I was disturbed by my conscience, I planned to recant in early 2019. However, due to fearing for my life and the safety of my family and loved one, I lost the guts to do so,” the letter read in part, as posted on abogado.ph
He expressed his intent to submit an official affidavit of recantation upon consulting with his lawyer.
Valeroso had earlier testified that he had seen De Lima, then the justice secretary, attending a convicted drug lord’s “concert” at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, among other allegations.
De Lima, currently out on bail after almost seven years in detention, is facing the last of three drug trading charges after the first two cases were dismissed.
Several other prosecution witnesses have retracted their claims against the former senator, including former Bilibid inmates and the former chief of the Bureau of Corrections.
The Muntinlupa court handling De Lima’s case recently granted a petition by some inmates at the Sablayan penal farm in Occidental Mindoro to be moved back to Bilibid, after they expressed their intent to recant their allegations against her.
