Albay 1st district Rep. Edcel Lagman shared on Saturday, Aug. 27, a sad turn of events that took place as he tried to visit his friend, former Senator Leila de Lima in jail on her 63rd birthday.
Lagman, former Supreme Court (SC) Justice and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and human rights advocate lawyer Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno personally went to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City Saturday for the purpose of seeing De Lima.
However, they were barred from seeing De Lima and were told that her request for their visit had been disapproved. Only De Lima’s immediate relatives were permitted to visit her, Lagman said in statement.
The Bicol solon said the disapproval was communicated to De Lima only on Saturday morning.
Lagman, a Liberal Party (LP) stalwart, called it an "unreasonable" prohibition on De Lima to see her "closest friends and ardent defenders" on her birthday.
“Every long day that passes with Sen. Leila still baselessly imprisoned tarnishes the human rights record of the Philippines," he said.
“We hope that this would be the last time Sen. De Lima will have her birthday in prison because every birthday in odious captivity is grossly tragic and an utter disaster for Philippine democracy and the rule of law," Lagman added.
De Lima has been detained at the PNP Custodial Center for five years. She was jailed during the previous Duterte administration for allegedly receiving payoffs linked to illegal drugs.