MANILA - Detained Sen. Leila de Lima has asked a Muntinlupa court to allow a photographer at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center to take her pictures and her lawyer to notarize documents related to her preparation for her reelection bid.

In an urgent motion on Tuesday, De Lima asked the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 256 to "direct the PNP-Custodial Service Unit to allow the taking of her Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) and Certificate of Candidacy (COC) photographs inside the PNP Custodial Center in the earliest possible time... but not later than 05 October 2021."

She also asked the court "to allow any of her listed counsels... to notarize" those and other documents required for her candidacy for the Senate anew in 2022.

The Commission on Elections set the filing of certificate of candidacy for the May 9, 2022 polls on Oct. 1-8.

According to her motion, she was informed of a Sept. 17, 2021 memo of the PNP prescribing the "prohibition of personal visits in offices and quartering units and other related measures" on Sept. 16-30, 2021.

She said the photographer and the Notary Public that she is requesting will observe proper health and safety protocols imposed at the PNP Custodial Center, where she is detained.

The Prosecution has been asked to comment on the motion.

De Lima, 62, confirmed her reelection bid on July 21, saying she would demand an accounting of President Rodrigo Duterte's unfulfilled campaign promises.

• READ: 'Sisingilin ka namin': De Lima announces reelection bid, blasts Duterte's unfulfilled promises
• READ: De Lima wishes 'vindication, freedom' for her, Filipinos as she marks 62nd birthday in detention

The lawmaker, who is one of Duterte's fiercest critics, has been detained since Feb. 24, 2017 over her alleged involvement in the illegal drugs trade. She has denied the charges against her and said her incarceration is meant to silence her.

Last February, a court acquitted De Lima in one of the three drug cases against her.

• READ: Muntinlupa court junks 1 of 3 drug cases vs De Lima

The former chairman of the Commission on Human Rights and Justice Secretary ranked 12th among the senatorial candidates who won in the 2016 elections.

-- with a report from Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News

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