De Lima could soon be neighbors with ex-senators Revilla, Estrada

Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday raised the possibility that colleague Sen. Leila de Lima, who is facing possible arrest, could be placed in the same facility in Camp Crame as detained senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada. (Photo: Leila De Lima/ Facebook)

MANILA –Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday raised the possibility that colleague Sen. Leila de Lima, who is facing possible arrest, could be placed in the same facility in Camp Crame as detained senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada.

Lacson made this remark in response to De Lima’s request that she be detained in a “safe and secure area” if her warrant of arrest would be served.

“Ang irony, baka magkakatabi sila ni Sen. Bong at Jinggoy. Remember meron pang bakanteng bungalow roon. I’m just thinking aloud na baka doon siya ilagay dahil secure ang lugar. Yun naman ang hinihingi niya di ba?

(The irony is, she might be placed in a facility beside Sen. Bong and Jinggoy. Remember there is still a vacant bungalow there. I’m just thinking aloud that she could be placed there because it’s a secure place. That’s what she’s asking, right?),” Lacson told reporters in an interview.

Lacson said that he was merely “assuming” and not “anticipating” anything since the resolution from the Department of Justice (DOJ) versus De Lima has yet to be issued.

He said that it is a paradox how De Lima was the primary reason why senators Revilla and Estrada were detained for plunder over the pork barrel scam because she, as then Justice Secretary, was crucial in the probe into the scam.

Asked if he had plans of visiting his colleague if she should be detained, Lacson quipped saying that he would visit her if it is not traffic.

He said that there is no certainty that De Lima would go to jail yet since she has also filed petitions in the Court of Appeals (CA) questioning the jurisdiction of her case.

De Lima insisted that only the Ombudsman has jurisdiction to investigate her case, however, the Department of Justice (DOJ) believed that regular courts also has jurisdiction on some cases.

Lacson said that De Lima could also be detained in the Senate if the court and the consensus of senators would allow it, however, it has never been done in the past.