PNP denied visitation of US senators to De Lima due to lack of court permission and increasing Covid cases in the headquarters.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) prevented a delegation of US lawmakers from visiting former senator Leila de Lima in her detention area at Camp Crame
The US delegation included Senator Edward Markey, and Reps. Alan Lowenthal, John Garamendi, Don Beyer, and Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen.
One of the reasons that the PNP stopped the US delegation was their lack of court permission and the prevailing Covid-19 situation inside Camp Crame as there were 15 active cases inside the headquarters, Rappler reported.
“They came but the Visitation Access was denied by HW Support Service of the PNP,” PNP said
In addition, a visitor's interaction with a person in police custody requires the approval of the appropriate legal authorities, according to the national police.
US Senator Markey is leading a congressional delegation in Manila, US embassy spokeswoman Kanishka Gangopadhyay said but declined to comment on any potential meeting with De Lima.
“The delegation met with Secretary of Justice Jesus Crispin Remulla and President Marcos today, and is meeting with legislators from the Philippine Congress this evening. The delegation’s meetings will continue tomorrow,” Gangopadhyay said.
Markey was one of the authors of a US Senate resolution that condemns the continued detention of De Lima, the Philippines' complicity in extrajudicial murders associated with the Duterte administration's drug war, and the intimidation of the media.
This angered former President Rodrigo Duterte and barred Markey from visiting the Philippines.
At present, the US senators renewed their calls for De Lima’s release as US Senator Richard Durbin said that her case was an “important test” for the country’s democracy.
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