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By Prince Golez, Manila Reporter
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Tuesday, May 2, 2017
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MANILA – Sen. Leila de Lima wants to attend Senate sessions from her prison cell.
De Lima is currently detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City over drug trafficking charges.
Congress resumed sessions today, Tuesday after they went into recess for the Lenten season.
“For more two months since I was illegally jailed on sham charges, I have refused to allow political persecution and harassment I suffer under the hands of the present administration to prevent me from fulfilling my electoral mandate,” the legislator said.
De Lima hopes to join the congressional deliberations, particularly, on the proposed re-imposition of the death penalty, lowering the criminal age responsibility, and the postponement of barangay elections.
“I have work to do as a senator and I will continue to do so because I owe it to the more than 14 million Filipino people who voted me in office and represent them in the Senate. I hope I can participate in important debates in the Senate,” she stressed.
The former Justice secretary cited a few cases where detained senators were allowed to participate in Senate proceedings.
In the 1950s, former senator Justiniano Montano was charged with the non-bailable offense of multiple murders, but the Supreme Court allowed him to post bail and attend sessions in the legislative body
In 2008, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, jailed for his involvement in a failed coup d’état, participated in Senate proceedings through teleconferencing.
“Apart from my rights as a duly-elected senator, I have to invoke my rights as a political prisoner as provided and protected under Philippine laws and jurisprudence as well as the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights,” said de Lima, the chairwoman of the Senate committee on electoral reforms./PN
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