It will be the height of irony.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said Senator Leila de Lima, who is seeking a secure detention place should she be arrested over alleged links to drug lords, might get what she wants…but with a catch. (READ: De Lima fears being another ‘EJK victim’ once in prison)

She might be placed in the detention center where former senators Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla are.

“Ang irony noon, ‘di ba, kung secure na lugar ang hinahanap baka doon siya matabi. Assuming, ha? We’re not anticipating anything. Kasi wala pa naman ang resolution, ‘di pa natin alam maski i-file ang information. In case that happens, ang irony, baka magkakatabi sila ni senators Bong at Jinggoy,” Lacson said on Tuesday, February 14, when asked about the supposed pending arrest of De Lima. 

(The irony there is, if she wants a secure place, she might be placed there. This is an assumption, alright? We’re not anticipating anything because there is still no resolution [from the justice department]. We still won’t know even if the information is filed. In case that happens, the irony is she might be placed beside senators Bong and Jinggoy.)

“Remember, meron pang bakanteng bungalow roon. I’m just thinking aloud na baka doon siya ilagay dahil secure ang lugar. ‘Yun naman ang hinihingi niya, di ba?” Lacson said, referring to the Camp Crame custodial center, where the two former senators are detained.

(Remember, there is still a vacant bungalow there. I’m just thinking aloud that she might be placed there because that is a secure area. That’s what she wants, right?)

De Lima was the justice secretary who investigated the Estrada, Revilla, and former senator Juan Ponce Enrile over the alleged misuse of their Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel.

This probe led to the detention of and filing of plunder charges against the 3 senators, but Enrile was later released on bail for “humanitarian reasons.”

Now, she is expecting to be arrested anytime over charges – which she has denied – that she allowed the drug trade inside the national penitentiary during her time as justice secretary, in exchange for the drug lords’ donations to her senatorial campaign. 

De Lima, who believes the current justice secretary is rushing the investigation, fears she might be summarily executed in jail, just like what happened to a Leyte mayor accused of drug links. 

“Parang paradox, ‘di ba, na siya ang parang primary – di naman naging kasangkapan, for lack of a better word – reason kung bakit nakulong kasi siya nag-start ng investigation, ‘di ba? Silang tatlo ng COA at Ombudsman,” Lacson said.

(Isn’t it a paradox? That she was like the prima– ry not tool, for a lack of better word – reason why those two were imprisoned, because she started the investigation. She, COA, and the Ombudsman.)

Lacson also said in jest: “Ibang bungalow yata. Magka-share sila ng pagkain kasi maraming pagkain lagi ang dalawa eh.” (Even if she’s in another bungalow, they can share food, because the two men reportedly have a lot of food all the time.)

Asked if she would visit De Lima, who earlier launched a manhunt against him over his alleged involvement in the double murder case of publicist Salvador Dacer and driver Emmanuel Corbito, Lacson jokingly said:

“’Pag walang trapik. Matrapik papuntang Crame eh. At di pa sigurado ‘yan. Meron siyang pending petition sa CA, kinukwestyon niya ang jurisdiction,” Lacson said, referring to the temporary restraining order that De Lima has sought from the Court of Appeals.

(If there’s no traffic. There’s heavy traffic going to Crame. And [her arrest] is not sure yet. She has a pending petition before the CA. She is questioning the jurisdiction.)

De Lima has said that the Ombudsman, not the Department of Justice, has jurisdiction over cases involving public officials like her. – Rappler.com