CHR starts probe into De Lima hostage-taking, suspects' death

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said Sunday that it has started its motu proprio investigation into the incident that led to the hostage-taking of former Senator Leila de Lima, and the killing of three persons under police custody (PUPCs) --hostage-takers -- who tried to escape Camp Crame.

In a statement, the CHR said it has already dispatched a quick response operation from its office in the National Capital Region for a motu proprio investigation “in the interest of finding out the truth and possible accountabilities.”

Also, the commission expressed concern for De Lima, who served as its chairperson from 2008 to 2010, and looked into several cases of human rights violations, including the alleged extrajudicial killings in Davao City.

On Sunday morning, duty personnel Police Corporal Roger Agustin was delivering food for PUPCs at the maximum security compound when he was stabbed with an improvised knife by three PUPCs who were trying to escape.

Amid the commotion, De Lima ended up being held hostage, and the suspects who were said to be members of the Abu Sayyaf Group, were all killed by responding police personnel.

“While initial information reaching CHR share that Senator De Lima is now safe, it puts into serious question the safety of Senator De Lima, as well as other detainees in the said detention facility,” the CHR said.

“CHR similarly notes that the three prisoners under police custody who allegedly tried to escape and held Senator De Lima as hostage also died in the incident,” it added.

CHR said it expects the recovery of Cpl. Agustin, and another wounded detainee, Jonathan Carpio.

Call to Marcos administration

In light of the hostage-taking incident, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) chair Charles Santiago urged the Bongbong Marcos administration to free De Lima from detention. 

He argued that the lawmaker was only jailed for leading the Senate investigation into the Duterte administration's campaign against illegal drugs which led to deaths of thousands of alleged drug suspects.

“This incident should serve to prompt the new government, led by Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., to do the only right and sensible thing it can do regarding the case of De Lima: to drop all fabricated charges against her and release her unconditionally and immediately,” Santiago said in a statement.

“Make no mistake about it: Former Senator Leila de Lima does not belong in jail, surrounded by criminals and terrorists. We reiterate our stand that the charges against her were clearly fabricated, as it has been shown recently by the recantations of three key witnesses," he added

Santiago also called on authorities to launch an impartial investigation into the incident and review the security conditions in the PNP Custodial Center and other detention facilities in the country.

De Lima, a former Justice secretary and a staunch critic of the Duterte administration, has been detained at the PNP Custodial Center since February 2017 due to drug charges.

She has repeatedly denied being involved in illegal drugs.

Calls for her release were renewed after self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, former Bureau of Corrections official Rafael Ragos and Marcelo Adorco retracted their drug allegations against her. —LBG, GMA News