Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan gives an update on the condition of Senator Leila de Lima following her arrest. JULLIANE LOVE DE JESUS/INQUIRER.net
Senator Leila de Lima was “composed” after her arrest but her blood pressure was “slightly elevated,” her allies and fellow Liberal Party members said on Friday.
Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Dinagat Island Rep. Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao accompanied De Lima at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame where the police brought her after she was arrested over illegal drug charges.
READ: After awaiting arrest at Senate, De Lima turns self in to CIDG
Pangilinan said De Lima’s blood pressure spiked when she underwent a medical check-up as part of the booking procedure for her arrest.
While the members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) were taking De Lima’s mugshot and fingerprints during the booking procedure, Bag-ao said De Lima kept shaking her head.
“Hindi niya maintindihan bakit niya kailangan gawin ‘yon kasi anong kasalanan niya (She could not understand why she needed to that, because what is she guilty of)?” Bag-ao told reporters staking out the CIDG headquarters in Crame.
READ: De Lima arrives at Camp Crame after arrest
“Makikita mo sa mukha niya ‘yong indignation na parang, ‘Gagawin ko ‘to kasi ito ‘yong proseso kahit hindi siya naniniwala na kailangan niyang gawin ito (You can see on her face the indignation, as if she were saying, ‘I would do this as part of the process’ even if she did not believe she needed to do that),” Bag-ao said.
Shortly after the interview, the police convoy—including the white Coaster believed to be carrying De Lima, patrol cars and motorcycles, left the camp at 10:20 a.m.
The arresting officers from the CIDG will present De Lima before Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204’s Executive Judge Juanita Guerrero to return the arrest warrant.
At around 8 a.m., De Lima turned herself in to the CIDG while inside the Senate compound after camping out in her office. IDL/rga
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