De Lima granted medical furlough

MANILA, Philippines — Two courts in Muntinlupa City have granted the request of Sen. Leila de Lima for a five-day medical furlough for her to undergo a major surgery.

Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branches 204 and 256, which are hearing De Lima’s drug cases, have allowed her to leave her detention quarters at the Philippine National Police’s Custodial Center at Camp Crame for five days from June 19 to 25.

The courts allowed her to stay at the Manila Doctors Hospital for surgery and confinement at her own expense.

De Lima, through her counsel, said her obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Aida Bautista diagnosed her with pelvic organ prolapse stage three and advised her to undergo vaginal hysterectomy with anterior and posterior colporrhaphy.

In an order, RTC Branch 204 Judge Abraham Joseph Alcantara directed the chief of the PNP’s Custodial Service Unit to submit a report on the matter within 24 hours from De Lima’s admission at the hospital.

The court also reset the next hearing on De Lima’s case from June 24 to July 29.