DETAINED Senator Leila de Lima wants to attend the probe of the Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs into the killing of 17-year-old Grade 11 student Kian Loyd Delos Santos on August 24.
De Lima's camp filed Tuesday, August 22, a motion asking the Supreme Court (SC) to allow her to perform her duties and participate in the legislative inquiry.
"Petitioner De Lima's present request for legislative furlough is no less significant than the instances provided above as it is for an official function, for a public purpose, for the limited purpose of attending the hearings into the death of Kian Loyd Delos Santos, and once granted, it shall allow her to perform her duties as a member of a co-equal branch," the motion read.
De Lima's camp cited that the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan had previously granted other accused furlough to attend birthday parties, celebrate Christmas and the like.
"Granting her leave like the others is fair and reasonable, considering that the purpose of the furlough is not only for private reasons but for a specific public purpose, the urgency, and gravity of which cannot be overemphasized as it involves the life and death of people," the motion said.
The Senate public order panel chaired by Senator Panfilo Lacson will begin the probe into the killing of Delos Santos and other drug suspects in the recent anti-drug operations in Metro Manila and Bulacan this Thursday.
Delos Santos was killed in a drug raid in Caloocan last Thursday, August 17, after allegedly at the police.
The killing of the senior high school student sparked protests from various anti-crime groups, including the church.
De Lima's camp said the senator is hoping that she could attend the inquiry on Thursday and also forthcoming hearings by the Senate panel.
De Lima who is facing drug-related charges has been detained at the Philippine National Police's Custodial Center in Camp Crame since February this year. (VoxPop Philippines)
