The Philippine National Police’s refusal to accede to the request of detained former Senator Leila de Lima to allow the visit of 10 personalities for purportedly having been filed less than 10 days before the intended visit is “flimsy and arbitrary,” Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman said on Monday, August 29.
“Rules are not cast on stone and their application must be flexible, depending on relevant circumstances like who is the one requesting the visit, who are the invited visitors, and what is the occasion,” Lagman said in a statement.
“In this particular case, former Sen. Leila de Lima, who is not a convicted felon and is still facing a sham prosecution, has the right to be visited by allies and defenders,” the lawmaker stressed.
Moreover, Lagman said those invited to celebrate with de Lima on the occasion of her 63rd birthday, are not considered security risks or conspirators who have all been allowed to visit the senator before.
“Verily, rules must be tempered with justice and leniency,” said Lagman, who was among those barred to visit de Lima.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros also slammed the PNP’s decision saying the former lawmaker should have been accorded her rights to accept visitors during her birthday.
“Sen. Leila continues to be unjustly targeted for crimes she did not commit. Patuloy kong ipinapanawagan ang kalayaan niya (I will continue to pursue calls for her freedom),” said Hontiveros who was also among those who are supposed to visit de Lima.
In the first place, she said de Lima should have been spared from injustice like this, since most of the witnesses in the her drug case have recanted their testimonies against her.
“Hindi talaga ako nawawalan ng pag-asa na lalaya si Sen. Leila sa lalong madaling panahon dahil unti-unting nabubunyag na isang malaking frame up lang ang mga kaso laban sa kanya (I’m not losing hope that Sen. Leila would soon be freed at the soonest possible time because the truth about her cases being part of a grand conspiracy is slowly getting uncovered),” Hontiveros said.
Aside from Lagman and Hontiveros, other invited guests who were supposed to visit de Lima were former Supreme Court Senior Justice Antonio Carpio, former Ombudsman Conchita Morales, former Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Atty. Chel Diokno, Prof. Solita Monsod, Atty. Christian Monsod, former presidential management staff Secretary Julia Abad and Rep. Tom VIllarin.