Muntinlupa, Philippines – The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206 has granted temporary freedom to former senator Leila de Lima and her four co-accused in a drug case. In a 69-page resolution, Judge Gener Gito approved the motion for reconsideration filed by de Lima and her co-accused: former Bureau of Corrections chief Franklin Bucayu, police asset Jose Adrian Dera, former driver and bodyguard Ronnie Dayan, and former security aide Jonnel Sanchez.

According to Philippines News Agency, the court set the bail at PHP300,000 for each, overturning a previous June 7 ruling that denied them bail. The court stated, “(A)ssessing the totality of the evidence presented by the prosecution, the Court is of the firm view and so holds that the accused should be allowed to post bail as the prosecution was not able to discharge its burden of establishing that the guilt of the said accused is strong.”

De Lima, arrested in February 2017, faces charges related to illegal drug activities, including an alleged agreement with New Bilibid Prison inmates to sell and trade illegal drugs to fund her 2016 senatorial campaign. Currently, only one of the three cases against her remains active. Philippine National Police spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said that as a standard procedure, de Lima will undergo physical and medical examinations to ensure her well-being before being released to her family or lawyers. Fajardo emphasized, “Medical examination is just a protocol so that at least before she is received by her family or lawyers, they would know that she is in good physical condition.”