Manila, April 14 -- Former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager and retired police colonel Royima Garma remains in detention in the United States and has applied for political asylum, her lawyer said on Monday.

Speaking to reporters at the Department of Justice (DOJ), lawyer Emerito Quilang said her client filed for asylum in November 2024 following her arrest in the US due to a canceled visa.

He said another lawyer is representing Garma in the asylum case.

"I'm not privy to the things happening there in the asylum (case). What I know is that the asylum was set for the initial hearing on April 2 but it was canceled and there is no setting yet," Quilang said.

"If the setting for the hearing of the asylum will be...