(Eagle News)–The Philippine National Police has denied Senate President Tito Sotto’s request Senator Leila de Lima be allowed to conduct Senate hearings in Camp Crame where she is detained on drug charges.
In a letter to Sotto, PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde noted that De Lima was a “detention prisoner with restricted right to exercise profession and hold office.”
Albayalde said that this “prohibition/limitation on the exercise of legislative functions while in detention” was laid down by the Supreme Court, which emphasized that not being allowed to practice a profession or engage in business was a “necessary consequence” of one’s arrest.
Albayalde cited the cases of Albayalde versus Pimentel and Jalosjos versus the court.
“Consequently, any matter pertaining to requests to exercise her legislative functions as an elected senator and conduct committee hearings for such purpose is a matter for the court having jurisdiction over her pending cases to decide,” he said.
Sotto had cited the need to act on at least seven pending bills in De Lima’s committee, the committee on social justice, welfare and rural development, in making the request to the PNP on July 2.