De Lima returns to Senate, hoping for daytime arrest

Updated: 11:16 p.m., Feb. 23, 2017

Sen. Leila de Lima returned to the Senate at about 10 p.m. Thursday to wait for the police team that would serve an arrest warrant on her.

At about the same time, the police team sent out to arrest her made their way to her home in Parañaque City.

In a news conference before heading for home, she said she would want to spend the night with her family before surrendering the next day.

But the police were bent at taking her that same night.

Speaking briefly to reporters on her return, De Lima questioned the haste at which the police were serving the warrant against her.

She said the officers should not take her into custody while within Senate premises, given the chamber’s protocol.

“I came back here hurriedly because I don’t want them to arrest me at my house because my family is there and I don’t want them to see me being arrested,” she said, briefly facing reporters.

While reiterating that she would not evade the arrest, De Lima expressed hope that the arresting team would not force arresting her tonight inside the chamber.

“Dito po ako maghihintay sa kanila, pero sana po huwag nilang pilitin na arestuhin kaaagad ako ngayon pagdating nila dito. Dapat maghintay lang sila sa labas,” she said.

(“I will wait for them here, but I hope they won’t force arresting me as soon as they arrive here. They should just wait outside.”)

“Hindi po nilang pwedeng pilitin, and then they will serve the warrant on me while I’m here in the office when I’m not yet ready to face them,” the senator added.

(“They can’t force it, and then they will serve the warrant on me while I’m here in the office when I’m not yet ready to face them.”)

De Lima said it would be “very unusual” and “unjust” to force her arrest this evening when it could be done in the daytime on Friday.

She said she would also feel “less safe” if the arrest would be done at night.

She said she would turn herself in by daybreak.

“I am not going to flee. I am ready to be arrested,” she said. “But I just hope (that it won’t be) tonight… So I’ll just stay here sa at the Senate and wait for the sun to rise before I face them.”

The warrant of arrest was issued by the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court against the senator over her alleged involvement on illegal drugs, which she vehemently denied. /atm