Sen. Leila de Lima’s request for a medical furlough has been granted, her lawyer said.
The detained lawmaker’s camp asked the courts handling her drug-related cases for a medical leave for a “major procedure” that would remove part of her uterus as it has already become a “concern,” ABS-CBN reported.
De Lima’s legal counsel Atty. Filibon Tacardon, quoted in the report, said “De Lima’s medical furlough was approved, and she is set to go to Manila Doctors for her medical procedure.
The lawyer said the “extremely urgent motion” was filed as she was advised by doctors “to undergo a vaginal hysterectomy with anterior and posterior colporrhaphy or vaginal wall repair at the soonest possible time.”
De Lima’s surgery would start on June 19 and the medical furlough would last until June 23, the report said.
Her lawyer also said they were on standby to request additional days for the furlough in case the senator needed more time for her recovery.
Detained since 2017, De Lima calls the drug charges against her
“political persecution” allegedly spurred by her criticism of President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-narcotics crackdown, which his administration denies.
Several witnesses recently recanted their allegations against her.
