Palace hits CNN Int'l over claim De Lima ‘politically persecuted’

MALACAÑANG called out Wednesday the CNN International to be "impartial" in its report regarding the arrest of Senator Leila De Lima, in connection with her alleged involvement in the drug proliferation inside the New Bilibid Prison.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella criticized the CNN for claiming Wednesday that the senator's arrest “smacked of political persecution.”

“We challenge CNN International to provide the proper context in its telecasts in the interest of fairness and truthfulness in reporting,” Abella said.

“To even insinuate that De Lima’s arrest is political in nature contradicts established facts and mocks the country’s commitment to due process and the rule of law,” he added.

De Lima is currently detained at the Philippine National Police custodial center, after a lower court from Muntinlupa ordered her arrest.

Abella stressed that it was the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court that ordered the arrest of De Lima for drug trafficking charges and for allegedly receiving money from drug dealers at the national penitentiary when she was the Justice secretary.

He said the court had found "sufficient probable cause for the issuance of the warrants of arrest" against her last February 23, along with her former driver Ronnie Dayan and prison official Rafael Marcos.

Ragos and Dayan are being held liable for witnesses’ claims that, on behalf of De Lima, they collected money from the incarcerated drug lords.

President Rodrigo Duterte guaranteed on Tuesday that De Lima will be “100 percent” safe in her detention cell inside the police camp. He also said that it would be up to the courts to decide whether De Lima is liable or not. (SunStar Philippines)

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