Pimentel: Senate won’t interfere if De Lima is arrested

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate will not intervene in case Senator Leila de Lima is ordered arrested on drug charges, said Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III on Sunday, February 19.

Pimentel, in an interview with dzMM, said that the senator – who is facing charges over alleged links to the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison – should be treated with respect, and that arresting officers must coordinate with Senate security to prevent a chaotic encounter.

He also reminded law enforcement that De Lima cannot be arrested while attending a Senate session.

“Irespeto nila ang session namin, irespeto nila ang premises namin,” he said. (They should respect our session, our premises.)

Pimentel also said De Lima’s camp should raise the issue of jurisdiction to the courts, if they believe the case is not being handled by the correct tribunal, GMA News reported.

De Lima’s camp is arguing that the complaint should have been filed before the Ombudsman, saying it has sole jurisdiction over public officials like her. Her fellow senators from the Liberal Party branded the move to file the case at a regional trial court as “illegal.”

The drug case was filed by the DOJ, on Friday, February 17, 5 months after a House inquiry on the issue. The inquiry was initiated by allies of President Rodrigo Duterte – De Lima’s political nemesis – and had inmates as the main witnesses. 

De Lima earlier said the case is “plain and simple political persecution.” (READ: De Lima prepared to be ‘first political prisoner under this regime’)

“I have long prepared myself to be the first political prisoner under this regime, because the criminal charges and prosecution are nothing less than a politically motivated act by the Duterte regime to clamp down on any vocal opposition against its support for a policy of EJK (extrajudicial killings) in dealing with suspected criminals,” she said.

According to the court filing, De Lima violated Section 5 of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which penalizes the “sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution, and transportation of illegal drugs.”

Violators face 12 years to life imprisonment and a fine ranging from P500,000 to P10 million. 

De Lima won’t be able to make use of the privilege from arrest since, according to Section 11 Article VI of the 1987 Constitution, it only applies to offenses punishable by not more than 6 years imprisonment. – Rappler.com