BBM Won’t Meddle With Courts On De Lima

President Marcos won’t meddle in the case of former opposition senator Leila de Lima as calls for her release mounted after a hostage-taking incident in Camp Crame that put her life at risk.

“The President cannot and will not intervene in any case that’s already with the courts,” Office of the Press Secretary officer-in-charge Cheloy Garafil said at a press briefing yesterday.

“We’ll leave it up to courts to decide if she’s going to be freed based on the evidence or merits of her case,” the press undersecretary added.

De Lima, who is in jail over drug-related charges, was held hostage by one of three inmates who tried to escape from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center last Sunday.

Because of the incident, which De Lima called a “near-death experience,” various sectors have urged the Marcos administration to free the former senator, claiming that the allegations against her are baseless.

Marcos has offered to have De Lima transferred to another detention facility. His sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, has urged De Lima to take an extended home furlough, an option now being considered by the detained former senator’s camp.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has expressed readiness to discuss the proposed home furlough for De Lima but maintained that it should be discussed in open court.

COVID-negative

Meanwhile, De Lima said she has tested negative for COVID-19 after being a close contact of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos on Sunday.

“[I] tested negative of COVID-19 virus, I had to undergo an RT-PCR test yesterday afternoon, given my exposure to Sec. Benhur Abalos who tested positive after he checked on me last Sunday in the aftermath of the hostage-taking incident,” De Lima said.

She added that she is still confined at the PNP General Hospital for further monitoring and tests due to lingering chest pains caused by the sharp weapon pressed upon her chest by the hostage-taker.

After news of Abalos testing positive for COVID-19, the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 256 reset a hearing on Monday following a motion of the prosecution.

“For us, the prosecution, as much as our witness (Herbert Colanggo)is ready, there is a protocol to follow. Which is why we moved for the suspension of the proceedings on health considerations,” Senior Deputy Assistant City Prosecutor Rudy Ricamora Jr. said as they underscored the need to prevent possibly bringing COVID-19 back to the New Bilibid Prison.

AFP detention

If they had their way, PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin said members of terrorist groups and other extremely dangerous criminals should be detained at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), not at the Camp Crame custodial facility.

“Those kinds of individuals may be better detained at the AFP to ensure maximum facility. Providing security is the role of our soldiers,” he said in Filipino over ANC. However, Azurin said they have to comply with the directives from the courts, which decide where suspected criminals should be detained.

He reiterated that De Lima being held hostage was only incidental as the inmates’ primary motive was to escape the detention facility.

Azurin also apologized to Sen. Robinhood Padilla, who expressed concern about the alleged discrimination among inmates, including the tagging of Muslims as criminals.

“We would like to apologize to our good senator and his comment is well noted,” Azurin said, explaining that police officers would sometimes describe suspected criminals they are pursuing by their ethnicity and language. Azurin said they would study Padilla’s comments.

Security review

For his part, Abalos said he has ordered double security at Camp Crame’s custodial facility, as well as a review of security protocols.

“For the meantime, stricter security for the people, check the things inside, how was an improvised weapon smuggled inside. It’s important to improve security so this won’t happen again. Don’t worry, this is being investigated and right now, security is doubled,” he said in Filipino on One News’ “The Chiefs.”

He said all angles are being investigated as questions arose if there was just a lapse in security that led to the hostage taking. “Every angle should be investigated, all angles will be looked into. What’s important here is to know why this happened, who is at fault for the lapse and why it turned out that way,” he added.

The PNP has relieved Lt. Col. Patrick Ramillano as the head of the Headquarters Support Service custodial facility. – With Emmanuel Tupas, Romina Cabrera, Ralph Edwin Villanueva