Detained Sen. Leila de Lima may soon preside over Senate inquiries at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III asked PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde on July 2 to allow De Lima to hold committee hearings inside the camp, where she has been detained on illegal drug charges since February last year.
Sotto noted in his letter that similar arrangements had been made when Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV was detained at Camp Crame on coup charges during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Full authority
“As Senate President, I am giving Senator De Lima full authority to discharge her duties as chair of the committee, particularly to conduct and personally preside over its hearings—similar to what had been done by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV during his detention,” Sotto said.
Sotto asked the PNP that De Lima be allowed “to exercise her functions as an elected senator of the country through the conduct of hearings … inside the premises of the PNP Custodial Center.”
The PNP leadership has not decided on the request.
Preparing a response
“We are already preparing a response to Senator Sotto’s letter in consultation with our PNP lawyers,” said PNP spokesperson Senior Supt. Benigno Durana.
De Lima chairs the Senate committee on social justice, welfare and rural development.
Sotto mentioned a number of bills pending in the committee, including the Magna Carta of the Poor, the Magna Carta for Day Care Workers, and Emergency Volunteer Protection Act, among others, which should be discussed by De Lima’s panel. —REPORTS FROM DJ YAP AND JAYMEE T. GAMIL