De Lima ready with bag of clothes ahead of impending arrest
Senator Leila de Lima has packed a bag of clothes in case a warrant of arrest is issued against her for alleged involvement in illegal drugs.
“Pina-prepare ko na po yun. Magdadala lang muna ako ng isa lang muna na luggage (I’m preparing for it. I would bring a luggage),” De Lima told reporters in an interview at her office in the Senate on Tuesday.
“Yung pantulog at pang bihis na araw-araw sa detention center kung saan man ako. Mga comfortable clothes, casual shirts, pants (My sleeping and casual clothes everyday at the detention center where I would be placed.),” she said.
She said she also prepared books as she would have more time to read inside detention should her reported impending arrest within the week push through.
De Lima said she had also gathered her family during the weekend to prepare them for the “imminent arrest.”
“I told them it’s imminent na baka nga tuluyan na akong ipaaresto (that I would be arrested), ipa-file na nila ang (they would file the) information possibly with the regular courts and then kung hindi maagapan ang TRO (temporary restraining order) na hinihingi ko (if the TRO I’m asking for couldn’t stop it), then prepare yourself for the scenario,” she said.
“Syempre malungkot sila (Of course, they are sad). Because I want them to be psychologically prepared because ayoko na pong mangyari na mabibigla sila and then hindi rin nila alam kung ano ang gagawin (I don’t want them to be surprised and then they wouldn’t know what to do). That’s why I did that,” she said.
De Lima said she also met with her staff last Friday and asked them not to cry when she is served the arrest warrant.
“Because I want everyone to be prepared and sabi ko nga (as I said) if that happens already, ayokong makakita ng umiiyak, papagalitan ko yung makikita ko…Sabi ko hindi bawal umiyak, huwag lang kayong magpakita sa akin na umiiyak kayo (I don’t want to see anyone crying, I would scold anyone I would see crying… I told them it’s not forbidden to cry, just don’t show me you’re crying),” she said.
While she is already prepared to get arrested, De Lima had only one request: That she be detained in a safe and secure area.
“Ang pakiusap ko lang po sakali lang po mangyari na, God forbid, yung eventuality na yan, ay sana ilagay naman ako sa isang lugar na magiging safe and secure ako because marami na pong mga nangyayari po pinapatay din sa loob ng selda (My only request, God forbid, if that eventuality happens, I hope I would be placed in a safe and secure area because many have been killed inside the cell). So what’s another EJK (extrajudicial killing)?” she said.
The senator was quick to clarify though that she was not asking for a special or VIP treatment so long as her safety was secured.
De Lima also assured that she would not resist her impending arrest as she insisted on her innocence on the drug allegations being leveled on her.
“Wala naman po akong magagawa (There’s nothing I could do), how can I resist? I can’t physically resist. I am morally and psychologically resisting it because I’m innocent…Hindi po ako tatakas, hindi po ako magtatago, hindi po ako pupunta ng hospital (I won’t escape, I won’t go into hiding, I won’t go to the hospital),” she said. RAM/rga
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