De Lima's family grateful to courts for allowing reunion with ailing mother

IRIGA CITY - The family of Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has expressed its gratitude to the courts for allowing her to briefly reunite with her ailing mother, calling it a "beautiful and glorious day".

According to Vicente de Lima, the Senator's youngest brother, the family was grateful to the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branches 205 and 256 for giving his eldest sister a 48-hour furlough to check on the condition of their mother, 86-year-old Norma Magistrado de Lima.

This was the first time in two and a half years that the Senator was able to return to her ancestral home since her illegal and unjust detention on February 2017.

"We would like to express our appreciation to the Muntinlupa RTC for their wisdom and compassion in granting the request of furlough of our sister. We would also like to thank PNP for providing security," Vicente said.

"On behalf of our family, we would like to express our appreciation for this beautiful day. It's a glorious day for us because after 900 plus days (903), our sister is able to come back here in Iriga to be with her family, to be with our ailing mother," he added.

Vicente, also fondly called as "Vicboy," also likened the atmosphere inside the ancestral home to a family reunion, with all of his siblings and close relatives present, all excited to see, hug and talk to De Lima.

"It's like a family reunion, meaning all of us siblings are there, and also with our close relatives. Nandiyan din po yung mga kapatid ng mother ko. And then it's kamustahan, hugging, kuwentuhan nung mga kabataan" he said.

Vicente also reiterated the family's call for prayers for the full recovery of their mother so she can see the day of De Lima's vindication and redemption from the trumped-up charges filed by the administration using perjured and coerced witnesses.

The moment De Lima entered her mother's room upon arrival from the Legazpi airport, high emotions set in. Those in the room, i.e., family members and relatives, were in tears.

De Lima arrived in Legazpi City around 6:25 a.m. on Thursday (Aug. 15) and was able to return to Manila last night as she has a scheduled hearing this morning (Friday) before Muntinlupa RTC Branch 205.

The brief reunion was only the third time that De Lima saw her mother since she was illegally detained last February 2017. The first happened on Dec. 23, 2018 when her mother was brought to the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

De Lima also spent two hours with her mother during the thanksgiving dinner for his younger son, Vincent Joshua de Lima Bohol, for passing of the Bar Exam on June 16, 2019.