Pimentel on De Lima’s plea to join Senate deliberations: Let her lawyers ‘work very hard’

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III is not inclined to help Senator Leila de Lima regarding her request to participate in legislative deliberations while under detention for drug-related charges.

In an interview with reporters, Pimentel said De Lima’s lawyers should “work very hard” so that the court may rule in their client’s favor, if and when a request is made.

“I will refer them to the lawyers. Kilala ko naman lawyers niya eh. Let them work. Let them work very hard,” Pimentel said.

Pimentel said the matter is “not important,” and that the court will only ask for the Senate President’s opinion “if it’s a difficult question of law.”

On Monday, Senator De Lima said she wants to participate “through remote or electronic means” in deliberations on important pieces of legislation as well as perform her other official functions as senator, while she is in detention.

“Ang rules kasi namin, you have to be present to be able to interpellate, to debate, to vote but you need not be present to file resolutions and bills so yung mga need not be present things, you can still do but those that need your present, what can we do? Ganun ang rules eh,” Pimentel explained.

De Lima’s media relations officer, Ferdie Maglalang, earlier said the options available to their camp include sending a letter to Pimentel and the Philippine National Police (PNP), and file a petition before the court.

Pimentel was a former client of De Lima, who used to work as an election lawyer. She helped Pimentel during the 2007 elections, particularly the latter’ protest against Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri.

De Lima is presently detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame over her alleged role in the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the national penitentiary when she was Justice secretary.

The Senate minority bloc, to which De Lima belongs to, earlier said they will seek her participation on crucial bills, such as the reimposition of death penalty, among others. — RSJ, GMA News