PBBM eyes ex-senator’s transfer as lawmakers seek release
FORMER Sen. Leila De Lima was left unscathed in a foiled hostage-taking try yesterday at the Camp Crame Custodial Center of the PNP national headquarters in Quezon City, a scary incident that led lawmakers to press for her immediate release from detention.
Three suspects, including the hostage-taker, were killed in the incident that occurred at around 6:30 a.m. A policeman and another detainee were wounded.
“Sen. De Lima did not suffer any bruise or injury. Of course, what we wanted is to ensure she is really safe, she is unhurt,” said PNP chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr., adding she was taken to a hospital for a check-up.
“Now more than ever, we call for the immediate release of former Senator Leila from her unjust detention and the dropping of the trumped-up charges against her,” Sen. Risa Hontiveros said after visiting De Lima at Camp Crame shortly after the incident.
De Lima branded as “near death” the ordeal she was forced to go through, adding she never thought the incident would happen to her.
“I have already endured more than five years of unjust detention inside the PNP Custodial Center. It was therefore farthest from my mind that on top of this ordeal, I also had to survive the knife of a fellow detainee, reportedly an Islamic extremist, who took me hostage in a desperate attempt to make known their grievances to the public,” De Lima said in a statement hours after the incident.
President Marcos Jr., meanwhile, said he will ask De Lima if she wants to remain at the PNP Custodial Center or be transferred to another detention facility.
But Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said that instead of giving her the option to be transferred to another jail, De Lima “must be granted freedom from a five-year odious and solitary confinement on fabricated drug charges.”
“Tension inside the detention facility has been defused and the situation has returned to normal while investigation is ongoing to review the security protocols inside the PNP Custodial (Center),” said PNP public information office chief Brig. Gen. Roderick Alba.
The PNP identified the suspects as Idang Susukan, an Abu Sayyaf sub-leader; and Islamiyah terrorist group members Arnel Cabintoy and Feliciano Sulayao Jr.
Susukan surrendered to Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari in April 2020. Misuari turned him over to authorities in Davao City four months later.
Susukan is facing dozens of charges, including 23 for murder, five for kidnapping and serious illegal detention, and six for frustrated murder, the military said.
Cabintoy and Sulayao, both Muslim converts, were arrested by the police in Quezon City in June 2019 for possession of explosives and bomb components.
Azurin said the incident happened while a policeman was delivering food to the detainees or persons under police custody (PUPCs). He said the three stabbed and wounded Corporal Roger Agustin using an improvised knife as they attempted to escape.
“Another police on-duty was able to respond, and he fired towards the PUPCs, hitting Cabintoy and Susukan,” Alba said, adding Sulayao then ran to the custodial cell of De Lima and held her hostage.
“Members of the (PNP) Special Action Force immediately responded to the incident and negotiated with Sulayao, to no avail. Since the situation is escalating, the tactical team engaged Sulayao and he was neutralized,” said Alba.
Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., who also visited De Lima at the PNP Custodial Center after the incident, gave a more detailed account of the hostage-takin, saying a policeman shot Susukan and Cabintoy with a sniper rifle.
Briefing reporters at Camp Crame, Abalos said Sulayao ran towards the cell of De Lima then tied and blindfolded her.
Abalos said Col. Mark Pespes, director of the PNP Headquarters Support Service, and policemen negotiated with Sulayao who made several demands, including a helicopter and a hummer vehicle.
He said Sulayao then requested for water.
“While giving the water (with his left hand), he (Pespes) used his right hand in shooting him (Sulayao) in the head,” said Abalos.
“I would like to commend the PNP, our generals, especially Col. Pespes for a very quick… it’s a judgement call on his part. If it lasted longer, it could have resulted to a different outcome… Three (suspects) died and Sen. De Lima is safe,” he said.
“Col. Pespes saved the day, he was the one who was able to neutralize the hostage-taker, what he did is very quick-thinking, what he did is very quick action,” Abalos said.
Pespes said they negotiated with Sulayao for about 10 to 15 minutes before he shot him dead.
“We are very fortunate the senator was not harmed,” said Pespes.
Abalos said De Lima was the original target of Sulayao, Susukan and Cabintoy, who wanted to escape from the PNP jail facility.
De Lima has been detained since February 2017 on drug-related charges that she had repeatedly denied. She said she was being persecuted by the past Duterte administration for opposing its war on drugs that had led to human rights violations.
The PNP said Agustin is in critical situation at a hospital. An unidentified inmate also suffered a minor injury during the incident that ended at around 7:18 a.m., police said.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla is still in Geneva, Switzerland attending the 51st Session of the UN Human Rights Council and has yet to issue a statement on the incident.
LATEST CHALLENGE
De Lima said the incident was the latest challenge that she had to survive in her five-year detention since she was jailed in February 2017 after the Muntinlupa regional trial court ordered her arrest on drug-related charges filed by the Department of Justice.
De Lima also revealed the hostage-taker threatened to kill her because he was certain that the police will kill him.
“I consider what happened to me as a near-death experience,” she said, adding if not for the “timely intervention” of the PNP security force, she would not have survived since the hostage-taker was determined to die and take her with him.
Except for a lingering pain on her chest “where the hostage-taker constantly pressed the point of his knife while holding me hostage,” De Lima said she is okay.
She also called on the public to pray for the injured police officer who is still undergoing treatment.
“While I have survived with only a knife mark and some considerable distress, he is still fighting for his life. Let us all pray for his quick recovery,” she said, adding the “near death” experience” only made her value life even more.
She also expressed gratitude to all who wished and prayed for her safety during the ordeal.
“Thank you for all your prayers. Most of all, I thank the Lord for being by my side during those terrible moments, and for saving my life today,” she said.
TRANSFER?
“Following this morning’s incident at Camp Crame, I will be speaking to senator De Lima to check on her condition and to ask if she wishes to be transferred to another detention center,” the President said in a Facebook post.
Office of the Press Secretary officer-in-charge and Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil
said Abalos relayed the President’s message to De Lima.
Abalos said Marcos told him to offer De Lima a transfer to another facility within the PNP Custodial Center facility, where Senators Jingoy Estrada and Bong Revilla were earlier detained on plunder chargers, to keep her safe.
He said the President made the offer “because she is worried about senator De Lima.”
“It’s her choice, it’s always for her safety and interest, if she wants it, but she told me there is no need. She feels safe in her current area,” said Abalos. “She told (me) it’s okay, ‘I’m going to remain where I am now,’ because she feels very safe.”
Abalos said protocols at the PNP Custodial Center would be reviewed and facilities will have to be improved “to ensure everyone is safe and to prevent a similar incident.”
Azurin said the PNP will review the security protocols being implemented at the PNP Custodial Center.
“It’s an unfortunate incident. What we are going to look into is the entry of materials that can be used to harm anyone at the PNP Custodial Center. We will review the existing policy that we are implementing as far as security, visitation, and the profile of those inside,” said Azurin.
He said an appropriate award will be given to Pespes, adding the promotion of Pespes and other police officials to higher rank had been endorsed by Abalos even before yesterday’s incident.
On calls for the release of De Lima, Abalos said: “Well its up for the courts, it’s the court’s call.”
Abalos said the DILG and the PNP will have to secure De Lima at the PNP Custodial Center without a court order (ordering her transfer). “We assure that and we are assuring the public of her safety,” said Abalos.
RELEASE DE LIMA
Several senators and former lawmakers urged the PNP and the Department of Justice to thoroughly investigate the incident while Hontiveros, a close ally of the former senator, condemned the violence, saying it was “unjust, barbaric, and despicable.”
“We demand an explanation and a thorough probe of this violent incident from the PNP and the DOJ. We need answers,” Hontiveros said.
“How can armed detainees easily gain access to the custodial cell of Sen. Leila, which is deep inside the PNP national headquarters? What lapses in security must be addressed, and most of all, who is responsible for these lapses? We strongly deplore this breach of duty,” she said.
In calling for De Lima’s release, Hontiveros said the cases against the former senator have no leg to stand on after several prosecution witnesses recanted their testimonies linking her to the illegal drugs trade inside the New Bilibid Prison when she was the Justice secretary.
Among those who retracted their allegations against De Lima are former Bureau of Corrections chief Rafael Ragos, self-confessed drug lord Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa, and De Lima’s former driver and security escort Ronnie Dayan.
Senator Aquilino Pimentel III also expressed concern for his former colleague and asked the PNP to submit a detailed report on the incident.
“We worry for the safety of Sen. Leila de Lima. (The) PNP should come up with a detailed report on what happened and why this happened considering that Sen. De Lima is held in a separate area away from other inmates,” said Pimentel, adding: “The wheels of justice in this country must move quicker.”
Also expressing concern for De Lima and calling on the PNP to ensure her safety were Senators Sonny Angara, JV Ejercito, and Joel Villanueva.
Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa also expressed concern for De Lima’s safety, saying: “Thank God Sen. de Lima is safe, she is okay. She was not injured and for that we are thankful.”
But he refused to condemn the PNP for the apparent security lapse, saying he does not have all the information right now.
“I don’t really know all the details of the incident. But if I was to be asked, there is no detention cell in the Philippines more secured than the PNP Custodial Center. So, we will have to wait before coming up with an opinion on why such an incident took place,” he said.
He urged the PNP to ensure De Lima’s safety and prevent a repeat of the incident, adding failure to do so could be exploited by critics of the government.
Former senator Francis Pangilinan also demanded a full accounting of the incident to find out if there was negligence on the part of the PNP.
“We also reiterate our call that government take swift measures to fast-track the resolution of her cases. Former Sen. De Lima does not belong in prison, is being unjustly detained, and must be released,” he said.
Former Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon called the incident “alarming” and said the PNP has to investigate whether the hostage taking of De Lima was planned.
Former senator PNP Panfilo Lacson said critics must consider that the PNP already acted on the matter and was already ordered to conduct an investigation.
Lacson, who like Dela Rosa. was a former PNP chief, also called for a thorough probe on the incident.
“That being said, an impartial investigation must be conducted immediately with the end in view of preventing any similar incident in the future,” he said.
Lawyer and former senatorial candidate Erin Tañada questioned how Sulayao reached De Lima’s cell, calling the facility a “maze.”
“I visited Sen. Leila a number of times. I know how difficult it is to get to where Leila is held. It’s like a maze and there are security checkpoints and gates inside. I’m just curious how a detention prisoner was able to reach Leila’s area without being stopped. Free Leila now,” Tanada said.
De Lima’s lawyer, Boni Tacardon, called for a quicker resolution of the cases filed against her before the Muntinlupa courts.
“We ask for a speedy resolution of the cases against Sen. De Lima and to prevent a repeat of the incident,” he said.
Last Friday, De Lima’s camp asked Branch 204 of the Muntinlupa RTC to junk the DOJ’s motion to stop Ragos from testifying and affirming his recantation of his claims against the former senator.
“A jail-to-jail rigodon defies justice,” Albay Rep. Lagman, an opposition lawmaker, said in a statement. “If her police custodians cannot secure her from a hostage-taker, once liberated, the people themselves can be her guardians to protect her from harm.”
Lagman, the president of the Liberal Party, said that while well-meaning visitors were barred from greeting her on her birthday, “the culpable laxity of her jailers has allowed an armed intruder to penetrate her cell and seize her hostage.”
Former Vice President Leni Robredo said she has been praying for De Lima’s safety and release from detainment.
“We pray for your safety and eventual release, Sen. Leila. Our prayers for the safety and speedy recovery of Police Corporal Roger Agustin,” she said on Twitter. — With Jocelyn Montemayor, Ashzel Hachero and Wendell Vigilia
