MANILA, Philippines (Eagle News) — Senator Panfilo Lacson said Senator Leila De Lima promised to return to the country after her trips to the United States and Germany before she left the country on Sunday.
Lacson said there is no reason to bar De Lima from leaving since there is no warrant arrest issued against her.
De Lima on Sunday, December 11, leave the country to went to the US to receive an award by the Foreign Policy magazine and will also go to Berlin, Germany to speak at the Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy on December 15.
The lady senator will be abroad until December 22.
Lacson even teased De Lima before he left, saying she should not to do what he did when he left the country and became a fugitive six years ago.
“In jest, sabi ko sa kanya, bumalik ka. Huwag mo akong gayahin … so sabi naman niya, ‘babalik talaga ako’ dahil haharapin niya daw yung kaso,” Lacson told reporters in an interview.
The Department of Justice has a lookout bulletin issued for De Lima, but it decided to allow De Lima’s travel abroad.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said the DOJ issued the requested “Allow Departure Order” sought by De Lima earlier so she could fly to the United States and Germany.
“Acting on the letter of Senator de Lima relative to her plan to travel abroad, the DOJ has issued an Allow Departure Order or ADO to allow her to travel abroad because no case has yet been filed against her before the courts,” Aguirre said in a statement.
De Lima, who will be abroad from December 11 to 22, had earlier vowed to return to the country.
“Both visits are very important to me because, as a senator, I will have a chance to speak before influential world leaders and global thinkers on raising awareness and support for human rights, an advocacy I am passionate about,” De Lima said, “This is a great opportunity to meet leaders from various fields from around the world and learn from their respective government’s initiatives and challenges about cultural diplomacy.”
The lady senator faces four sets of criminal charges before the DOJ for allegedly conspiring with some Bureau of Corrections officials and several high profile drug lord inmates at the New Bilibid Prison in the sale of illegal drugs in the country.
De Lima said there is nothing to worry about as she would “surely return” to the country.
“There is, however, nothing to worry about as I will surely return, along with my staff who will be with me during these foreign visits. I hope my brief absence would provide a welcome relief and respite to my detractors and critics. I will keep them in mind though,” De Lima said.
