Twelve delegates of the European Union lawmakers paid a visit on the detained Senator Leila de Lima in her detention cell within the Philippine National Police detention center to check if the senator is being treated well.
The group consisted of four members from the European Parliament's Sub-committee on Human Rights. They were Adam Kosa (Hungary), Joseph Weidenholzer (Austria), and Rikker Karlsson (Denmark).and their group leader, Soraya Post (Sweden).
Reporters were told by Sweden’s representative to the European Parliament Soraya Viola Helena Post that their one-hour visit showed that the senator looked "very good and strong."
The group was accompanied by acting EU Ambassador to the Philippines Mattias Lentz to the Camp Crame in Quezon City where the PNP HQ is located.
"I have just visited Sen. De Lima and she seems very good and strong and we discussed her situation," Post said. Back in March, she said in a speech at parliament that De Lima must be immediately released and the extrajudicial killings must end in the Philippines.
"We discussed her situation and she did not complain (about) the police. She said they’re taking care of her," she commented.
"She says that she would like to go to her family and she also would like to go to her work to vote in the Senate," she added.
Their reason for visiting De Lima is to express their concern as parliamentarians in Europe about the senator's case.
"The delegation’s purpose of the visit is to express our concerns as parliamentarians in Europe about the case of De Lima. Of course, because we had a resolution and also some other issues that is our concern on human rights," Post said.
The European Parliament adopted a resolutions last March 16 that urges the Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's administration to end the so-called extrajudicial killings in the drug war but rather prioritize a fight against drug trafficking networks and drug lords instead of tracking down small time drug dealers.
They also called for the 'mother of all drug lords' to be release, claiming that all evidences against her were fabricated.
The senator is detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame for a previous arrest order by Judge Juanita Guerrero of the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 204. However, there is still a pending case before Muntinlupa RTC Branch 206, under Judge Patria Manalastas-De Leon for the senator.
De Lima previously filed a petition at the Supreme Court seeking for the higher court to nullify her first arrest order.
Senator Leila de Lima has three criminal charges filed against her.
First case is Criminal Case Number 17-165 which is handled by Branch 204, one count of violation of Section 5 of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which penalizes the "sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution and transportation of illegal drugs."
De Lima allegedly asked money from the New Bilibid inmates ti fund her senatorial bid n 2016.
Second case is the second count of drug trade which is handled by Branch 206 against De Lima; former BuCor chief Franklin Jesus Bucayu; Bucayu’s former staff, Wilfredo Elli; inmate Jaybee Sebastian; Dayan; De Lima’s former security aide, Joenel Sanchez; and a certain Jad de Vera.
The mentioned inmates allegedy forced to produce P70 million in order to provide funds of Senator Leila de Lima's senatorial campaign.
Third case is Criminal Case Number 17-166, handled by Branch 205, is another count of drug trade against De Lima and De Vera.
As in the other two cases, De Lima allegedly extorted money from Co, who was able to produce P30 million and 4 vehicles which were given to De Lima through De Vera. This allegedly happened in March 2016.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) dismissed the drug charges against inmates Herbert Colanggo, Engelbert Durano, Vicente Sy, Jojo Baligad, and Peter Co because "they will be utilized as prosecution witnesses.
Source: INQ
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