MUST READ! Leila De Lima wants ‘safe and secure’ detention cell

MAGAZINE
Published February 15,2017

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Saying that she won’t resist arrest nor escape, Senator Leila De Lima said that if ever the court issues a warrant on the supposed drugs charges to be filed by the Department of Justice, she wants a “safe and secure” detention cell.

In an interview, De Lima said she wants a safe and secure detention cell to avoid “another” extrajudicial killings like what happened to slain Mayor Rolando Espinosa of Albuera, Leyte inside the Baybay Sub-Provincial Jail and Tony Co, a convicted drug lord inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

“Ang pakiusap ko lang, sakaling mangyari ha - God forbid - yung eventuality na ‘yan, ay ilagay naman ako sa isang lugar na magiging safe and secure ako. Marami na hong nangyayari, ‘di ba? Pinapatay din sa loob ng selda. So, what is another EJK?” De Lima said after her loyal friends gifted her with purple roses for Valentine’s  Day and plastic handcuffs.

Former DSWD secretary Dinky Soliman said the plastic handcuffs symbolized the “plastic” case filed against De Lima.

Senator Panfilo Lacson supported De Lima on her contention to be detained in a safe and secure cell like former senators Ramon Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada.

“Yes. Kasi may precedent kasi si Bong at ang 3 nasa Crame. Ngayon ‘di

na sila senador naroon pa sila. Lalo ang sitting senator,” Lacson said.

De Lima said that she would not resist her arrest but instead file the necessary pleadings in court.

“Well, wala naman po akong magagawa [I cannot do anything]. How can I resist? I cannot physically resist. I am morally and psychologically resisting it because I’m innocent absolutely, but I physically cannot resist,” De Lima said.

“What can I do? Hindi po ako tatakas, hindi po ako magtatago, hindi po ako pupunta ng ospital, hindi po ako mag-we-wheelchair at neck brace. Wala po akong balak na ganoon [I will not escape; I will not hide; I will not go to the hospital; I won’t use a wheelchair nor wear a neck brace. I don’t have such plans],” she added.

However, De Lima said she is not sure if the court would allow her to be detained in a safe and secure place but she would ask for it.

“I’ll just ask the help of my colleagues in relaying concerns about my security,” she said.

Nonetheless, De Lima is not ruling out the possibility that the court would not issue a warrant since it has no jurisdiction over the case, but the Office of the Ombudsman.

“You know, I’m not ruling out the possibility na baka naman i-consider ng [that there may be consideration from the] court or the judge na mapupunta yung kaso na [who will handle the case that] they may not agree sa [on the] finding of probable cause against me and therefore would not issue a warrant of arrest kaagad [immediately],” De Lima said.

However, De Lima pointed out that they are still waiting for the actions by the Court of Appeals regarding their petition against the drug cases and their application for the issuance of a temporary restraining order.

“Dalawang pending petitions na po ang i-finile ng lawyer ko. Una, tungkol nga doon sa [My lawyer has filed two petitions that are pending. First, about the] first court consolidated cases and yung pangalawa, yung [secondly, the] Kerwin Espinosa case,” De Lima said.

“Humihingi rin po ako ng TRO, dalawang beses na po yung lawyer ko nag-file ng [I have asked for a TRO; my lawyer has filed twice an] urgent motion to resolve my application for TRO. Unfortunately, hindi pa nila naaksyonan. Meron nga daw justices na nag-inhibit na sa kaso [they have not acted upon them. I’ve heard that justices had inhibited from the case],” she added.

She said she is pinning her hope on the judiciary to resolve all legal questions on the handling of the supposed charges hurled against her by the DOJ.

“I have faith in our judiciary, especially the courts, the Supreme Court. Ultimately siguro yung mga kaso na yan, dito pa lang sa pagsampa nila o balak nilang pagsampa ng kaso sa RTC, i-aakyat po namin talaga yan sa higher court. Pero siyempre we have to exhaust remedies muna, kung ano man yung ipa-file ng legal team ko doon muna ipa-file sa RTC kung nai-file na po yung information in court,” De Lima said.

De Lima said she had already packed her luggage and had talked to her siblings and son but not her mother who is already 83 years old.

De Lima also said that there will be one less vote against the death penalty bill, in case she is arrested