MANILA -- Pampanga Provincial Jail warden Edwin Mangaliman on Tuesday said no VIP treatment is being given to embattled Globe Asiatique founder Delfin Lee. Mangaliman said Lee is alone in his cell at the newly renovated 12-cell facility, but this does mean that the property developer is being given special treatment. "Iyung mga selda namin pare-parehas eh, walang parang VIP. Kung ano yung selda na makikita niyo sa isang selda, ganoon din sa isang selda," Mangaliman said at a press conference. "As of this time wala siyang kasama. Hindi sa special treatment but [more of a] security concern… Maraming pwedeng ma-agitate, iniiiwasan namin ang mga aksidente o anuman." Lee was arrested on Thursday last week after months in hiding. Lee and 4 others have been charged with syndicated estafa in connection with alleged anomalous P6.6 billion loans obtained from Pag-IBIG by "ghost" borrowers of GA's Xevera housing project in Mabalacat, Pampanga. The Court of Appeals has acted on Lee's petition for writ of habeas corpus and directed the Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to present Lee before the appellate court in a hearing set at 10 a.m. tomorrow, March 12. The 2-page resolution, dated March 10 and signed by Associate Justices Manuel Barrios, Normandie Pizarro, and Stephen Cruz of the Special First Division, ordered the PNP and NBI "to produce the body of the petition before this (CA) court and to show cause why the relief sought should not be granted." The appellate court ordered both agencies to explain the basis and legality of Lee's arrest and detention. After hearing the arguments of both sides, the appellate court will rule on the case. Mangaliman said the Pampanga Provincial Jail is ready for this latest development. "Iyung mga security arrangements doon, nagahahnda na kami, kasi kailangan ma-secure siya properly from dito papunta doon sa korte," Mangaliman said, adding that he will wait for a copy of the CA decision. Lee, founder and president of Globe Asiatique, filed a 5-page petition for a writ of habeas corpus on Monday, hours ahead of his scheduled arraignment on syndicated estafa charges pending in a Pampanga trial court. In his plea, Lee insisted that his arrest by PNP Task Force Tugis, and subsequent detention by the NBI, are illegal since, in a Nov 7, 2013 ruling, the appellate court quashed his arrest warrant and stopped the criminal proceeding against him. Lee's arraignment was reset to Friday. Lee's camp will file a supplemental petition today, urging the CA to include the Pampanga Provincial Jail as respondent in his petition for writ of habeas corpus. – with a report from Ina Reformina, ABS-CBN News
