(Eagle News) — A Muntinlupa court has rejected Senator Leila de Lima’s request for her to be allowed to attend her son’s graduation on June 3.
In rejecting her urgent motion to attend the rites of Vincent Joshua De Lima Bohol, Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 205 Judge Amelia Fabros-Corpuz said the senator, who is facing drug-related charges, could not be treated differently from “other prisoners whose liberty is curtailed, pending the final resolution of their criminal cases.”
The judge also gave credence to the prosecution’s argument that De Lima’s risk of flight was “very high,” and her presence in the rites are “not indispensable,” among others.
In any case, the judge said De Lima could make use of technology to be there for her son.
“In sum, accused De Lima’s presence in the said Commencement Exercises will disrupt the solemnity of the said occasion not only for the other attendees and parents but also for her son who will celebrate the momentous occasion,” the judge said.
De Lima also filed the urgent motion before Branch 206 of the Muntinlupa RTC.
In filing the motion in both courts on May 15, De Lima asked that she be allowed to “share this joyous moment” with her son “and to be there to continue to affirm her support..”
She noted that her son was slated to take the bar exams in November 2018.
De Lima is detained in Camp Crame over drug-related charges.