De Lima: No ouster plot talk during senators’ visit

Sen. Leila de Lima (Photo from her Facebook page)

MANILA — Detained Sen. Leila de Lima maintained that she did not discuss any ploy to unseat President Duterte with fellow opposition senators who visited her in her detention cell at Camp Crame on Monday.

Mocking Mr. Duterte’s avid supporters, she said in a handwritten message: “Absolutely no (destabilization) plan tackled as there is no such thing. Sorry to disappoint the paranoids among the Duterte sycophants.”

“We talked about various matters, from serious stuff to mundane and funny ones,” said De Lima, apparently expecting a deluge of criticisms from the President’s allies.

The senator, who has been held at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center, said she was “happy to see” Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and fellow Liberal Party Senators Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros.

De Lima said they talked about the Senate minority bloc’s stand on various proposed measures and their own legislative agenda.

“My colleagues also reiterated the plan to petition the proper court to allow me to participate in the voting on major legislative measures,” she said. “I can see that this will be a truly functioning and dynamic minority.”

She admitted she was taken aback when her colleagues asked about how she was, saying: “That I appear relaxed and stress-free is quite self-evident to them.”

“And I’m sure my new hairdo (very short and with striking, if not shocking color) did not escape their attention. They’re just too nice to make any comment,” she said.  SFM/rga