The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday said that a court order is needed to visit former Senator Leila De Lima who is detained at the custodial center of the Philippine National Police in Quezon City on illegal drugs charges pending before the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court.
“Since the matter is with the courts, there must be a court order to visit,” DOJ spokesperson Jose Dominic F. Clavano IV said, in a text message.
De Lima has been charged for her alleged involvement in the proliferation of illegal drugs trade at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City when she was secretary of justice.
Clavano noted that even the American delegation led by Sen. Edward J. Markey was not allowed to visit the former lawmaker without a court order.
“Similar to US Senator Markey, they were denied at first but were granted visitation rights the day after they filed the motion,” he said.
According to him, the PNP was “merely followed protocol” when it did not allow the visit of number of persons, who did not get a court order for the visit, during De Lima’s 63rd birthday celebration last Aug. 27.
Senator Edward Markey and a delegation of US lawmakers recently visited De Lima.
Reports said the eight-man delegation spent over an hour at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City, arriving around noon and leaving around 1:15 p.m.
Neither De Lima’s camp nor the US delegation gave any details on the meeting as of posting time, the report said. The visit was scheduled for Thursday, but due to a lack of court authorization, the delegation was unable to enter the detention facility.
Earlier, two Muntinlupa courts hearing De Lima’s drug-related cases granted her plea to let the American legislators see her in detention.