Palace says police explained why foreigner was not allowed to visit detained senator

July 23, 2017

Malacanang on Sunday said there is no need to add political color to the exclusion of Liberal International President Juli Minoves from visiting Senator Leila de Lima in her cell at Camp Crame. In a statement, Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the Philippine National Police has sufficiently explained their side. "Our authorities are strictly following protocols in the PNP Custodial Center.  It is unfortunate that the name of Mr. Juli Minoves, president of Liberal International, was not included in the list of approved visitors scheduled to see Senator Leila De Lima on that day," Abella said. He also said other companions of Minoves were allowed to enter the detention facility and was able to meet de Lima because their names were on the list of approved visitors. Last Saturday, Minoves was barred from visiting De Lima because his name is not in the list of people scheduled to visit the seantor. "They said that they did not have the memo. Apparently, my colleagues have received the approval just this morning and it was sent many days ago," said Minoves in an interview with reporters. He said they informed the PNP about their visit last July 17. (Ella Dionisio/DMS)