Embattled Senator Leila de Lima will remain inside her prison cell at Camp Crame, President Rodrigo Duterte said late Wednesday night as he junked calls by several European Union lawmakers for her to be detained in the comforts of her own home.
Speaking before business leaders at the ‘Sulong Pilipinas’ Philippine Development Forum in Mandaluyong City, Duterte expressed astonishment that the incarcerated lady senator would play her cards to make people believe that she is a ‘‘prisoner of conscience.”
“I cannot imagine that—her capacity to… Imagine, she can even convince foreigners—‘yung mga t— mga EU. Hijo de…Tapos magpunta dito to declare… ‘Can she be house arrested because she’s a prisoner of conscience?’ Pu… Pagka-b—talaga itong mga… You are losing the matters there,” he said.
On July 19, a 12-member delegation of the European Parliament spoke with De Lima and later issue a statement calling for her release.
The delegation was led by Sweden’s Soraya Post and was joined by Adam Kosa of Hungary, Rikke Karlsson of Denmark, and Josef Weidenholzer of Austria, among others.
Duterte even brought up De Lima’s alleged sex video with her lover-driver, Ronnie Dayan, to prove his point.
“With all the, you know… Pati ‘yung pardon… ‘Yung video. Hindi niyo tinignan kung anong klaseng babae ‘yan? And they come here and say na she’s a prisoner of conscience. My God,” he said.
“Sandali lang, I’m trying to replay the video. Huwag kayong maingay, you are disturbing me. I can still see the dog na ‘yung karga-karga niya palagi sa opisina niya,” he added.
Duterte, who visited Camp Crame during the 116th Police Service Anniversary, said he took a peek at De Lima’s detention cell which has been her home since last February over alleged drug raps.
“Punta ako doon sa Crame, sinilip ko ‘yung presuhan niya. Gusto ko sabihin, malayo man. Punta ako, sabi ko, ‘Saan na ‘yun, ‘yung gaga na ‘yun?’’Doon.’ Dinala ako,” he said.