right on drug war abuses’

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Ex-President Duterte on De Lima’s acquittal: Verdict ‘should be accepted’

by FAITH ARGOSINO Inquirer.net

MANILA — Former President Rodrigo Duterte said Saturday, May 13 that the court’s decision on the drug case of his nemesis Leila de Lima “should be accepted.”

In a statement released through Atty. Salvador Panelo, the ex-chief executive maintained he has “nothing to do with the case” and “never interfered with the judicial process.”

“The judgment of the court should be accepted. Frankly, I’m not interested in the outcome of the case as I have nothing to do with it. I have never interfered with the judicial process. I always say let the law take its course,” Duterte said.

Panelo, who was Duterte’s chief legal counsel and spokesperson at one point, also shared his take on the court’s decision, saying “the acquittal is flawed” and that “the evidence extant supports a judgment of conviction.”

“As a lawyer, it is my position that final judgment of a competent court must be