PROMDI party standard-bearer Senator Manny Pacquiao has pledged to allow Senator Leila de Lima to be held under house arrest and her case be resolved swiftly if he makes it as the next president of the country.
Pacquiao said he will abide by what the law provides for the resolution of the criminal charges against De Lima, who will mark on Thursday, Feb. 24, her fifth year of incarceration.
“Iyong house arrest, kung may precedence iyan, bakit hindi? Kung may dahilan naman bakit hindi natin pagbigyan? (About the house arrest, if there is precedence why not? If there is a justification why don’t we grant it?)” Pacquiao answered when asked if he would support any petition to release De Lima from detention and instead have her held under house arrest at her residence.
Pacquiao stressed that house arrest should be granted especially if De Lima is ill.
He urged the judiciary to swiftly resolve the cases filed against De Lima so long as due process and fairness are guaranteed.
Also a PDP-Laban presidential candidate, Pacquiao told reporters that he would not agree with the release of his Senate colleague unless the criminal charges against her have been completely resolved and that she had been exonerated.
Asked if he agrees with the opposition’s claim that De Lima is a mere victim of political persecution of the Duterte administration, Pacquiao begged not to respond to the question.
“I can’t give a conclusion about that issue kasi hindi natin alam ang mga ebidensya, baka naman maging mapaghusga ako. (because we are not aware of the evidence, I don’t want to judge),” he said.
De Lima is a candidate for reelection as senator under the line-up of presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo.
An outspoken critic of President Duterte, De Lima is facing two counts of conspiracy to commit drug trading charges. A third case was dismissed last year by Judge Liezel Aquiatan of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 205.
The former justice secretary was instrumental in the arrest and detention of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on graft charges filed by the administration of her successor, the late President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
On orders of De Lima, police authorities stopped Arroyo at the airport and prevented her from seeking medical treatment abroad notwithstanding a Supreme Court (SC) ruling granting her petition to travel.
The High Court later dismissed the criminal complaint against Arroyo.