De Lima survives hostage-taking at custodial center
Former Senator Leila de Lima was temporarily held hostage on Sunday by a prisoner in the Philippine National Police (PNP) detention facility in Camp Crame, where she is now being held.
Her captor and two other prisoners were slain, but she remained unharmed.
According to the police, Feliciano Sulayao Jr., a prisoner, held de Lima at knifepoint in her cell after making a failed effort to flee.
The cops shot and killed him together with two other prisoners.
As they sought to escape the facility, Sulayao and two other prisoners attacked a police officer. Following then, authorities said that all three were slain.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said in a Twitter post he will visit the custodial center to check on de Lima’s condition.
De Lima, who is detained on drug charges, is safe and “unscathed” and will receive “all necessary medical and psychological attention needed,” the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) assured on Sunday.
“The PNP has launched an in-depth investigation into the incident,” appointed OPS Officer in Charge and Undersecretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil said in a separate statement.
The incident took place at 6:30 in the morning, according to PNP head Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr.
When Sulayao and fellow prisoners Arnel Cabintoy and Idang Susukan assaulted him with homemade knives, Cpl. Roger Agustin was bringing meals to the prisoners.
The three were thought to be affiliated with the infamous terrorist organization Abu Sayyaf.
Another police officer noticed the disturbance and told the three to stop hitting Agustin. The policeman shot at the prisoners after they refused, injuring Cabintoy and Susukan.
According to Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr., Sulayao then hurried to de Lima’s cell where he bound and blindfolded the former senator.
The incident took place at 6:30 in the morning, according to PNP head Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr.
When Sulayao and fellow prisoners Arnel Cabintoy and Idang Susukan assaulted him with homemade knives, Cpl. Roger Agustin was bringing meals to the prisoners.
According to Sulayao, Pespes shot the prisoner after spotting an opportunity to neutralize him when he asked for water to drink.
At 7:18 a.m., the incident was over.
According to officials, one more injured cop was hospitalized in critical condition.
De Lima said that she was saved by the police’s prompt action.
“After being told by the hostage-taker that since his two other companions were already dead, he’s certain he would also be killed and he might just as well also kill me, I consider what happened to me as a near-death experience,” she said.
“If not for the timely intervention of the PNP security force, I don’t think I would have come out alive since the hostage-taker was already determined to die and take me with him,” she said.
Azurin said a review of the security procedures at the detention facility would be conducted. He rejected the idea that the Abu Sayyaf were after de Lima.
“Nakita nila na ito ang magandang cover. Kung puntirya nila si Senator de Lima, siguro hindi na nila hinintay ‘yung pulis (It just happened that de Lima was there. They saw it as an opportunity for a good cover. If they targeted Senator de Lima, they would not have waited for the police),” he said, adding that the main objective of the three was to escape.
Abalos said that on behalf of President Marcos, he offered de Lima a different location in the custodial center where Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada had been detained.
She said she felt “safe” where she is presently detained, Abalos said.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel 3rd said the PNP must fully explain why high-profile inmates were able to hostage de Lima.
“We worry for the safety of Sen. Leila de Lima,” Pimentel said in a text message on Sunday.
He said the PNP “should come up with a detailed report on what happened and why this happened considering that Sen[ator] de Lima is held in a separate area away from other inmates.”
“We are glad with the initial report that she is OK. The wheels of justice in this country must move quicker,” he said.
Pimentel added that de Lima’s cases have taken too long to resolve even on the issue of bail. “That should be resolved soon.”
Sen. Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros denounced the hostage-taking of de Lima “right inside” the custodial center.
“We demand an explanation and a thorough investigation of this violent incident from the PNP and the Department of Justice. We need answers,” Hontiveros said.
“How can armed detainees easily gain access to the custodial cell of Sen[ator] 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.
Hontiveros called on the PNP to increase the security arrangements around de Lima, and “ensure that no similar incident will ever occur against her or other detainees.”
Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said, “At the very least they should assure her and other prisoners of better security arrangements. They should consider her application for bail — possibly even on recognizance after a proper assessment of the risk of her taking flight.”
The social media platform Twitter was deluged by reactions from netizens, mostly in disbelief that the hostage taking could happen to De Lima, who was not even allowed prominent visitors on her birthday, at a heavily guarded facility within the police headquarters.
Many are calling for De Lima to be released from detention, after three key “witnesses” have recanted their allegations that allegations that she received money from the illegal drug trade when she was justice secretary. The hastag #FreeLeilaNow also trended on Twitter.
