OPPOSITION Sen. Leila de Lima has been granted medical furlough by the Muntinlupa City regional trial court, which was handling one of her illegal drugs cases.
Lawyer Rolly Peoro, de Lima’s counsel, told reporters after a hearing before Branch 256, that Judge Romeo Buenaventura gave de Lima 24 hours to undergo medical examinations at the Manila Doctors Hospital where her physicians are based.
“This (request for medical furlough) is still way back in 2018, 2019. Now, we really need it, it was just delayed because of the pandemic,” the lawyer said.
On Tuesday, de Lima attended a court hearing before Branch 256, which was handling one of her illegal drugs cases.
She has previously asked the court to grant her medical furlough so she can be examined by doctors because of “lingering pain between her left breast and upper left abdomen, along with occasional bouts of nausea.”
In a very urgent motion, de Lima asked the court to allow her to undergo a general medical exam for at least 24 hours between February 11 and 13 at the Manila Doctors Hospital.
The Department of Justice charged her for conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading, violation of Section 26 (b) in relation to Section 5, Section 3 (jj), and Section 28 of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
De Lima is currently detained at the Custodial Center of the Philippine National Police in Camp Crame. She was accused of allegedly benefiting from illegal drugs when she was still the justice secretary.
