3 Europeans barred from visiting De Lima

Detained Sen. Leila de Lima on Monday demanded respect for her rights, including visitors’ access, after authorities at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center for the third time did not act on the request of international guests to visit her over the weekend.

De Lima said the incident could not be mere instances of administrative lapses or incompetence on the part of the PNP but a deliberate policy of oppression and violation of her rights.

European parliamentarians Norbert Hans Neuser from Germany and Enrique Guerrero Salom from Spain, and an Italian colleague, Paolo Alberti, attempted to visit the senator on Saturday.

But the three were denied access to De Lima. —Jocelyn R. Uy