(Eagle News)—Opposition senators on Thursday, July 26, urged the Supreme Court to allow detained Senator Leila de Lima to represent them in oral arguments on their petition against the Philippines’ withdrawal from the International Criminal Court.
In their four-page manifestation with motion, Senators Francis Pangilinan, Franklin Drilon, Bam Aquino, Risa Hontiveros, Antonio Trillanes IV and De Lima herself noted the detained senator was, they believe, the “best” who could “present and argue” the case, the issues of which, they said, were of “transcendental importance.”
“Thus, the undersigned manifesting senators hereby manifest that they will no longer be represented by counsel during the oral arguments, but instead they will be adopting en toto the presentation, arguments and positions to be put forward by (De Lima) during the oral arguments as their own presentation, arguments and positions,” they said.
“Senator De Lima should not be prevented from personally arguing the case by the mere reason of her incidental detention,” they added.
De Lima is detained in Camp Crame on drug-related charges.
Earlier, De Lima asked that she be allowed to represent herself in the oral arguments slated in August.
In March, the President said the country would withdraw from the ICC, noting its “baseless, unprecedented and outrageous” attacks against him and his administration.
He also noted what he said was the attempt of the ICC prosecutor to place him under his jurisdiction. Meanne Corvera