Palace won’t meddle in court decision on De Lima’s request to visit ailing mother

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Monday said it won’t interfere with the request of detained Sen. Leila De Lima before the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court to allow her to visit her ailing 86-year-old mother in Camarines Sur.

READ: De Lima asks court permission to visit ailing mother

De Lima has asked a very urgent motion for furlough to visit her mother Norma Magistrado De Lima on August 15 or sooner.

“Well ever since, the President has not interfered with any case involving anybody. he never interfered. So the discretion lies always on the court,” presidential spokesperson Slavador Panelo told reporters in Malacañang.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra earlier said he would not object to the senator’s request “for humanitarian reasons.”

Asked to comment on this, Panelo said: “We do not want to comment on that.”

“The problem is, if you give a comment, you may be misinterpreted. So ever since, the President does not want to interfere,” he added.

In his motion, De Lima pleaded for “the utmost kind consideration of the Honorable Court, as a daughter who wants to be able to see and, perhaps, hold her mother close for the last time.”

Panelo maintained that “we will never interfere with whatever cases there are pending before the courts.”/ac