With its last witness missing, the Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecution has been ordered by the court to submit its formal offer of evidence, meaning to close its presentation of evidence in the 2nd drug charge against jailed opposition Senator Leila De Lima.

De Lima’s lawyers, or the defense, would start presenting its evidence on January 15 and 29, marking the end of the first half of a trial that has already stretched 3 years and 8 months.

The DOJ submitted its formal offer of evidence in the 1st charge on November 23. The prosecution’s presentation in the 3rd and last charge is still ongoing. De Lima has 3 charges of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trade for allegedly extorting from New Bilibid Prison convicts drug money for her 2016 senatorial campaign.

DOJ’s last witness in the 2nd charge is a woman named Sally Serano, but the prosecution couldn’t locate her up until the last day allowed by the Muntinulupa Regional Trial Court (RTC).

Lead prosecutor Ramoncito Ocampo said he had just received information that Serrano was in Aklan.

“Despite my plea that I be given another chance, I committed to the court that as head of the panel, I will fly personally to Aklan to locate the whereabouts, but it was denied,” Ocampo told reporters on Friday, December 4.

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Ocampo refused to say how significant Serrano’s testimony would have been, citing sub judice. The prosecution has filed a contempt complaint against De Lima and her lawyer Boni Tacardon for media updates, saying they violated sub judice.

“That will contradict our content of the petition, because as far as we are concerned, we don’t like to dwell on the merits, we leave it to the court,” Ocampo said when asked about what would have been Serrano’s testimony.

Ocampo mentioned, however, that convict Peter Co’s lawyer was able to provide leads to Serrano’s whereabouts. Serrano, Ocampo said, had also been to Fujian, China. – Rappler.com