Bato: De Lima welcome to stay at PNP custodial center
PNP Chief Dir. Gen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Senator Leila de Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Saturday offered PNP’s custodial center to Senator Leila De Lima if ever she would be arrested.
“I am offering that facility para naman mabigyan siya ng protection dahil senador siya (so that she will be given protection because she is a senator),” dela Rosa told the reporters during the PMA alumni homecoming in Baguio.
“Basta ako, I’m just waiting for instruction from the court authorities kung just in case kailangan nilang gamitin ‘yung aming Crame detention center, I think, for me, that’s one of the safest detention centers sa buong Pilipinas dahil nasa loob talaga ng Camp Crame,” he added.
(I am just waiting for instruction from court authorities just in case they need to use our detention center at Crame. I think, for me, that’s one of the safest detention centers in the whole Philippines because it is inside Camp Crame.)
Among the detainees at the PNP custodial center are former senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon “Bong” for plunder charges over their alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday filed three drug-related charges against De Lima at the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court in connection with the senator’s alleged involvement in illegal drugs when she was still Justice Secretary.
READ: DOJ files drug raps against De Lima
Dismissing the charges as mere political persecution, De Lima on Friday said she has long prepared herself to be a political prisoner under Duterte’s regime, but vowed to continue fighting.
“If the loss of my freedom is the price I have to pay for standing up against the butchery of the Duterte regime, then it is a price I am willing to pay,” De Lima said in a statement.
READ: De Lima willing to be jailed, but says fight far from over
Dela Rosa said that there are no talks regarding the matter yet either from the DOJ or De Lima.
“I promise her that she will be very, very safe inside Camp Crame,” the PNP chief added. IDL
