Minority senators: 10-day notice to visit De Lima ‘unreasonable’

Minority senators have asked Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III to help reverse the “unreasonable” 10-day notice to visit detained Senator Leila De Lima.

“We hope that Senate President Pimentel will be able to follow through on his previous assertions of the Senate’s independence which includes ensuring his colleagues in the Senate are provided with their rights and are able to fulfill their constitutional mandate even while incarcerated,” Liberal Party (LP) president Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said in a statement on Tuesday.

In a letter signed Monday, Senators Pangilinan, Franklin Drilon, Risa Hontiveros, Antonio Trillanes IV, and Bam Aquino sought the help of the Senate president to reverse the “unreasonable and impractical” requirement set by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“Senator De Lima’s performance of her duties and functions as duly elected senator of the country should not be hindered by stringent visitation requirements,” the letter read.

“The Senator must be accessible to the other members of the Senate who wish to discuss legislative matters with her, subject only to reasonable notice,” it added.

Pangilinan also wrote to PNP Chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa asking for clarification regarding the policy they were not notified of.

“We hope that PNP Chief Dela Rosa will act on our request regarding the sudden imposition of this 10-day advance notice. We were not given formal notification regarding this new requirement,” the LP president said.

BACKSTORY: Minority senators visit De Lima in detention

“We only learned of this upon coordination with the Office of Senator De Lima. Such notice was not required for previous visits by Senators,” he added.

Dela Rosa earlier said that anyone given clearance by De Lima herself can visit her. However, the minority senators were informed by De Lima’s office that they are now required to comply to the new PNP requirement. IDL