Lawmakers call for PNP probe into De Lima hostage incident

Several lawmakers and former politicians on Sunday urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) to conduct an investigation into the incident that led to the hostage-taking of former senator Leila de Lima on Sunday morning.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, who personally visited De Lima at Camp Crame after the latter was briefly taken hostage by three persons under police custody (PUPCs) inside the PNP Custodial Center, condemned the violence, saying it was “unjust, barbaric, and despicable.”

“How can armed detainees easily gain access to the custodial cell of Sen. Leila, which is deep inside the PNP national headquarters? What lapses in security must be addressed, and most of all, who is responsible for these lapses? We strongly deplore this breach of duty,” she said in a statement, calling on the PNP and Department of Justice.

“I urge the PNP to increase the security arrangements around former Senator De Lima, and ensure that no similar incident will ever occur against her or other detainees.”

Hontiveros also reiterated her call to release de Lima from her detention and to drop the charges against her.

“The violence against former Senator De Lima is only the latest act of injustice against her. Hindi sana nangyari ito kung sa simula pa lang, hindi na kinulong si Senator Leila dahil lang sa mga walang basehan na kaso. This is political persecution at its worst,” she added.

(This would not have happened if, from the start, Senator Leila was not placed in detention due to cases without basis.)

Meanwhile, Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III also expressed concern for his former colleague and asked the PNP to submit a detailed report on the incident.

“We worry for the safety of Sen Leila de Lima. PNP should come up with a detailed report on what happened and why this happened considering that Sen de Lima is held in a separate area away from other inmates,” he said.

“The wheels of Justice in this country must move quicker,” he added.

Senator JV Ejercito said that the PNP has to make sure of de Lima’s safety.

“It’s an unfortunate incident. I am glad Sen. Leila De Lima is unharmed. But PNP has to take steps to ensure her safety after this incident,” he said.

Senator Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara echoed this, saying that a better security arrangement should be made available to De Lima and other detainees.

“At the very least they should assure her and other prisoners of better security arrangements. They should consider her application for bail—possibly even on recognizance after a proper assessment of the risk of her taking flight,” he said.

For her part, former Vice President Leni Robredo said she was praying for de Lima’s safety and release.

“Dasal namin ang iyong kaligtasan at tuluyang paglaya, Sen Leila. Ang atin ding dasal sa kaligtasan at agarang paggaling ni PCpl Roger Agustin,” she said in a tweet.

(We pray for your safety and eventual release, Senator Leila. Our prayers for the safety and speedy recovery of PCpl Roger Agustin.)

Police Corporal Roger Agustin was delivering food for PUPCs at the time of the incident when he was stabbed with an improvised knife by the suspects in their bid to escape.

In the process, de Lima was held hostage, and the three suspects were neutralized by responding custodial center and PNP Special Action Force personnel.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ordered the PNP to make sure that no violence will happen again in its facilities after what happened.

PNP chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. has ordered an in-depth investigation into the incident.

'Fast-track case resolution'

Former Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan also sought full accounting of the incident to find out if there was negligence.

“We also reiterate our call that government take swift measures to fast-track the resolution of her cases. Former Sen. De Lima does not belong in prison, is being unjustly detained, and must be released,” he said.

Former Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon also called the incident “alarming” and said the PNP has to investigate whether the hostage taking of de Lima was planned.

Former senator and chief PNP Panfilo Lacson, on the other hand, said critics must consider that the PNP already acted on the matter and was already ordered to conduct an investigation.

“The swift and decisive response undertaken by the PNP in the foiled hostage-taking of former Senator de Lima and the in-depth investigation already ordered by CPNP Azurin must be taken into consideration before the usual unthinking critics start to put the PNP in a bad light,” he said in a tweet.

Lacson also said that high-risk detainees who are members of an internationally proscribed terrorist organization like the Abu Sayyaf Group should be isolated and not be mixed with the other prisoners.

De Lima, a former Justice secretary and a staunch critic of the Duterte administration, has been detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame since February 2017 on drug charges.

She has repeatedly denied being involved in illegal drugs.

Former Bureau of Corrections officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos and self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa also recanted their drug allegations against her.

‘Discrimination’

Meanwhile, Senator Robin Padilla expressed dismay over the alleged discrimination showed by a policeman for calling the hostage takers “Muslims.”

The lawmaker asked Azurin to educate his men and to refrain from identifying the suspects based on their religion.

“Discrimination po ito kapag binibigkas ng pulis na ito ang salitang Muslim. Maging parehas po tayo ng trato sa bawat Pilipino," Padilla said in a Facebook post.

(It’s discrimination when the police say the word Muslim. Let's treat every Filipino equally.)

“Mainam po na identify niyo po sila hindi sa kanyang religion dahil walang kinalaman ang religion po dito. Ang batas ay hinubog sa anyo ng hustisya at pinapatupad ito ng alagad ng batas. Kung ang alagad ng batas ay humusga ng bansag sa isang religion para saan pa po ang babaeng nakapiring ang mga mata at may hawak na timbangan,” he added.

(It is better to identify them not through their religion because it has nothing to do with this. The law is based on justice. If a law enforcer makes judgments based on religion, then what is the Lady Justice for?)

Padilla further said the Muslim community is praying for Agustin’s recovery and de Lima’s safety.

Call to Marcos

Aside from demanding a thorough investigation from the PNP, Akbayan Party Executive Leader Perci Cendaña also urged Marcos to release De Lima after what happened.

“If this new government is sincere in its promise of unity, then it must begin by upholding justice and truth. We call on the Marcos government to immediately release Senator Leila de Lima,” he said.

He stressed that the lawmaker’s hostage taking was “completely unacceptable” and called the security breach “appalling and a systemic failure” on the part of PNP since it happened at its own headquarters. —KG/BM, GMA News