Senators: Alright to move witnesses vs De Lima

Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Sat, 07 Sep 2019 09:30:30 +0000

Two senators see nothing wrong with President Duterte’s order to move the high-profile inmates who testified against Sen. Leila de Lima from the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City to the custody of the Philippine Marines in Taguig City.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Duterte was well within his authority to do so since the inmates were already under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice.

“Pwede na ‘yon ‘pag pinayagan ng DoJ…Custody ng DoJ ‘yon, eh. Kaya may karapatan sila,” the Senate chief said. “I don’t see anything wrong with that,” he added.

Sotto said the move should not be questioned if the President was only considering the safety of the inmates. “Ang masama ‘yong ililipat tapos papakawalan. O nagbayad,” he said.

He said he understands the President’s concern that De Lima might have influence over the NBP because “there is no government inside the Bilibid.”

Echoing Sotto was Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who said that the Judiciary has no more authority over convicted prisoners. “Tapos na ang jurisdiction
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