De Lima was held hostage in Camp Crame, not Bilibid 

Claim: Former Senator Leila de Lima was taken hostage in Bilibid on October 9.

The Facebook video with the claim cast doubt on the hostage-taking incident saying, “Kakampink gumawa ng eksena sa loob ng Bilibid. Hostage-taking na nangyari sa haliparot na si De Lima sa loob ng selda, tanging mga bobo at tanga lang ang maniniwala.”

(Kakampink made a scene in Bilibid. Only fools will believe the hostage-taking that happened to the flirtatious De Lima in her cell.)

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: As of writing, the Facebook post making the claim has 16,000 reactions, 4,500 comments, and 368,000 views.

The bottom line: In an interview with ABS-CBN News on October 9, Philippine National Police chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. confirmed that the hostage-taking incident happened in Camp Crame at around 6:30 am. Several news outlets like Rappler, and The Manila Times, also reported on the incident. It happened in the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City, not in the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

The three inmates who took De Lima hostage in their attempt to escape the detention facility were killed. De Lima considered the ordeal a “near-death experience.” 

The incident sparked calls for her release. President Marcos offered the former senator a jail transfer, but maintained that he would not interfere with her case. 

De Lima is currently back at the PNP Custodial Center, awaiting the resolution of her two remaining drug charges. Last October 18, the Muntinlupa court affirmed its decision to allow former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Rafael Ragos to testify and recant his previous testimony implicating the former senator. – Pola Regalario/Rappler.com

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