By Hannah Torregoza Detained Senator Leila de Lima on Wednesday criticized those opposing moves that would allow her to participate in Senate sessions through teleconferencing. Senator Leila de Lima (MANILA BULLETIN) “People know who are, and are not, the real victims of political persecution,” De Lima said in a brief statement. De Lima, who is currently detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame, issued the statement after another senator expressed his opposition to the resolution filed in the Senate that seeks to allow her to join deliberations through teleconferencing. Earlier, Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. hit the plan, saying the “double standards and sense of entitlement of some people are frankly quite disheartening.” Revilla was one of the senators who was charged and detained over the so-called “pork barrel fund scam.” Revilla pointed out that the Senate did not act on a similar call when he and former Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada were in detention. “When I was incarcerated due to politically motivated charges, which the Court has finally settled in my acquittal, a very vocal group was against my participation in Senate proceedings,” Revilla said. “It is funny that among that group were Leila De Lima herself and some of those signatories in the open letter released yesterday,” he pointed out. Revilla lamented that the official position of the Senate leadership at that time was that the absence of three senators would have no impact on legislation. “Wala yang pinagkaiba sa sitwasyon ko noon. Halatang-halata naman ang special treatment ‘pag pinayagan ‘yan ngayon (That’s no different to my situation before. The special treatment would be so obvious if they allow it to happen),” he said. Revilla said equal protection and fair play dictates that De Lima should be allowed to participate in Senate proceedings, even if only remotely. “First, to do so would amount to giving her favor over and above other detainees. And second, to allow her to vote in absentia would be a travesty against the Senate as a whole as this has no basis in the Rules. And even if the Rules are amended, it will lead to absurd results,” he said. The resolution seeking to allow De Lima to participate in Senate deliberations were signed by Senators Panfilo Lacson and Franklin Drilon. The measure was backed by other senators, including Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto and Senate President Vicente Sotto III.