Leila held at Crame; Ragos at large

MANILA, Philippines - After spending Thursday night in her Senate office, Sen. Leila de Lima went peacefully with an arresting team from the Philippine National Police yesterday and started her detention at the PNP headquarters at Camp Crame.

Judge Juanita Guerrero of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204 ordered De Lima’s detention at Camp Crame in Quezon City after the senator was presented in court.

De Lima was then brought back to Camp Crame where she earlier underwent booking procedures at the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) main office.

From her office at the Senate where she spent the night, De Lima went over to the team of CIDG operatives led by Chief Supt. Roel Obusan who took custody of her.

The CIDG arresting team initially went to De Lima’s house in Sucat, Parañaque City following reports that she left her office at the Senate to go home and spend time with her family.

The police team, however, failed to locate De Lima at her house. They learned the senator had gone back to her office at the Senate and would spend the night there.

The team then proceeded to the Senate compound in Pasay City where they waited until yesterday morning for De Lima to emerge from her office.

Prosecutors alleged De Lima, while she was justice secretary under former president Benigno Aquino III, received bribes from detained drug lords to finance her senatorial campaign. Some of the convicted drug lords would testify against her.

De Lima arrived at the court escorted by female CIDG police officers under tight security.

Anti-riot policemen formed a barricade to prevent supporters, critics and the media from getting near the senator.

Police vehicles flanked the white coaster carrying De Lima as it arrived at the Muntinlupa Hall of Justice past 10 a.m.

Around 30 members of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) jeered De Lima as she entered the building.

“The drama is over! Jail De Lima,” they chanted.

An equal number of De Lima supporters converged and shouted: “Stop political persecution. One for De Lima.”

The whole process was over in five minutes and De Lima was brought back to the coaster.

Before the convoy left, De Lima opened the window and greeted her supporters. She flashed the “L” sign,  meaning ‘laban’ or fight.

De Lima has denied the charges, which she said were part of an attempt by President Duterte to muzzle critics of his crackdown on illegal drugs, which has left more than 7,000 people dead.

De Lima has a long-standing rift with Duterte, whom she accused of leading a vigilante group that carried out summary killings in Davao City when he was mayor.

Duterte in turn accused De Lima of being a narco-politician who used the illegal drug trade to finance her way to a Senate seat.

De Lima questioned why the court suddenly issued the arrest order when it was supposedly scheduled to hear her petition to void the three non-bailable charges yesterday .

Apart from Guerrero, the two other cases were filed before Muntinlupa RTC Branch 205 Judge Amelia Fabros-Corpuz and Branch 206 under Judge Patria Manalastas-de Leon.

The VACC stood as private complainants of the case against De Lima.

Among De Lima’s co-respondents were her former bodyguard Ronnie Dayan and former Bureau of Corrections acting chief Rafael Ragos.

Dayan was arrested at his hometown in Urbiztondo, Pangasinan on Thursday while Ragos, who also served as former official of the National Bureau of Investigation, is still at large.

“We have a team working for his (Ragos) arrest. But any policeman can arrest him like Dayan, who was arrested by the local police. Any police officer can arrest him,” CIDG spokesman Chief Insp. Joselito Brioso said.

Sources said Ragos reportedly sent surrender feelers but the police has yet to determine his whereabouts.

Safety ensured

PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa, on the other hand, gave assurance of De Lima’s safety in Camp Crame.

Dela Rosa, however, said the PNP would not provide the female senator any special treatment.

He said PNP had prepared a safe and secure cell at the custodial center in Camp Crame, situated far from the detention cells of former senators Bong Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada, who are both facing the non-bailable offense of plunder before the Sandiganbayan.

“Before the warrant was issued, we have already prepared the detention cell (for De Lima), which is far from senator Bong and senator Jinggoy, so she cannot see them,” Dela Rosa said.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno said he has given instructions to Dela Rosa to ensure the safety of De Lima.

“Senator De Lima’s security and safety is also our concern and so we would like to assure everyone that she will be treated in accordance with established procedures and existing laws,” Sueno said.

Officials said De Lima will be detained at the detention cell previously occupied by couple Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, allegedly the leaders of the communist New People’s Army who were granted temporary freedom to participate in the peace talks in Norway.

PNP spokesman Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos said De Lima was allowed to have her breakfast of burger and rice brought by her staff before the booking procedures were conducted.

Shortly after the booking procedures, the CIDG team escorted De Lima to the Muntinlupa City court for the return of warrant of arrest and take orders for her disposition.

De Lima’s counsel Alex Padilla received the commitment order on her behalf. The one-page order indicated that his client should be brought to the custodial center of the PNP.

“That was the offer. I think it’s OK,” Padilla told reporters outside the court.

Arguments

At the court, De Lima’s lawyer Teddy Rigoroso argued it was premature to issue the arrest warrant since the court has yet to act on their motion to quash.

This did not sit well with Judge Guerrero who lectured Rigoroso on the rules on criminal procedure.

“I have no jurisdiction yet over the person of the accused so how can I rule on your motion to quash?” Guerrero told the lawyer. “That’s why I issued an arrest warrant.”

When Rigoroso told the judge that De Lima is already under custody of the police, Guerrero replied she has yet to receive the return of the warrant.

Rigoroso insisted there is no probable cause as there is not enough evidence to prove the accusations against De Lima.

“Based on the complaint, it does not constitute act of trafficking. At most it’s just bribery,” Rigoroso told Guerrero.

Guerrero got irked when Rigoroso said she was wrong to issue the arrest warrant against De Lima.

“What if I say I’m correct. The Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court are there,” Guerrero told the lawyer.

She also took offense at Rigoroso’s statements implying that she had not read the records as she just came from a vacation.

“Under the Constitution, the judge is personally required to go over the records,” Rigoroso said.

Guerrero then showed a copy of the complaint from the Department of Justice (DOJ).

“I was on vacation but I brought this with me,” she said.

Guerrero gave the prosecution panel 10 days to comment on De Lima’s motion to quash.

At Branch 205, Judge Corpuz reset the hearing to March 10 to give the prosecution 10 days to comment on the senator’s similar motion and for her lawyers to issue a reply.

The hearing at Branch 206 under Judge De Leon was reset to March 3. – Cecille Suerte Felipe, Victor Martin