Former Senator Leila de Lima thanks police for ‘timely intervention’ but says she never imagined being victim of hostage-taking on top of her ‘unjust detention’
MANILA, Philippines — Former Senator Leila de Lima said she was safe after a hostage situation at the Philippine National Police Detention Center inside Camp Crame in Quezon City on Sunday morning, October 9, but admitted she thought the “near-death experience” would be the end of her.
In a statement on Sunday afternoon, the detained opposition figure said she felt only “lingering pain” in her chest, where the hostage taker “constantly pressed the tip of his knife “.
Three inmates linked to terrorist groups tried to escape detention on Sunday morning, but were later killed by police. A policeman was injured.
“Having been informed by the hostage taker that since his other two companions were already dead he was certain he would also be killed and might as well kill me, I consider what happened to me to be A near-death experience.” said DeLima.
“Without the timely intervention of the Philippine National Police security forces, I don’t think I would have made it out alive since the hostage taker was already determined to die and take me with him,” he said. -she adds.
De Lima, a critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte, has been detained since 2017, during the latter’s administration, on what human rights groups believe are bogus drug charges.
In February 2021, she was acquitted in a Muntinlupa city court on one of three drug charges brought against her.
De Lima said on Sunday that she was “trying to recover psychologically and emotionally from this heartbreaking experience”, adding that she did not imagine being the victim of a hostage situation in addition to her “unjust detention”.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offered De Lima the possibility of being transferred to another detention centerbut the former senator turned it down, according to Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos. – Rappler.com
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