By Argyll Cyrus Geducos Malacañang said there was no irregularity in President Duterte's order to transfer 10 high-profile inmates from the New Bilibid Prison to the Marine Barracks in Taguig City. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo (PCOO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo made the statement after Duterte admitted that he ordered the transfer of the inmates who testified against detained Senator Leila de Lima's alleged involvement in illegal drugs to the Philippine Marine Barracks Rudiardo Brown in Fort Bonifacio. These inmates include Peter Co, Hans Anton Tan, Jojo Baligad, Vicente Sy, Froilan Trestiza, Nonilo Arile, and Joel Capones, who all testified against De Lima on her supposed drug links. In a statement, there was nothing wrong with Duterte's order as claimed by the incarcerated lawmaker, stressing that the inmates are not receiving any special treatment and continue to be under the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor). "There is nothing insane, as described by Senator Leila de Lima, nor is it irregular, and neither unusual in ordering high-profile convicts who are witnesses in the case against the aforesaid Senator to be transferred in a marine facility in Fort Bonifacio. Neither is the transfer an indication of a reward, as some senators unfairly and amusingly suggested," he said. "Some quarters may wish to obfuscate or misconstrue the President's action. But let us be clear: The high-profile convicts remain in a detention facility under the control of the Bureau of Corrections without any VIP treatment. In other words, no special or unusual considerations are granted to them," he added. The Palace official then stressed that security was the primary consideration for the said transfer. He also said that the Palace firmly believed the move was legally valid given that their lives were under threat because of their testimonies. "This move of PRRD is akin to the Witness Protection Program where the witnesses are given security for their safety. Senator De Lima has been charged with various counts of violating the Dangerous Drugs Act, precisely for being a drug coddler and receiving money from the drug lord inmates," Panelo said. "There is a cardinal rule in prison: the omerta of silence -- any whistleblower is liquidated. Their lives are endangered that is why they were transferred," he added. Panelo also raised the possibility that De Lima, having served the Justice Secretary for almost six years, has accumulated sympathizers or henchmen during her tenure who may derail the unmasking of the truth about the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison. "The Palace maintains that there is nothing irregular in his (President Duterte's) directive. PRRD supervises the entire bureaucracy. He is, after all, the Chief Executive with complete control and supervision over all offices and agencies under the Executive Department, he said. De Lima, a known critic of the President, has been behind bars for more than two years now over drug charges filed against her by the Department of Justice (DOJ) before a court in Muntinlupa. READ MORE: Duterte admits he ordered transfer of some NBP inmates to Marines facility