As Sen. de Lima marks her fourth year in jail today, global advocates call for her release
Local and international advocates are drumming up their call for the release of Sen. Leila de Lima, chief critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, who now marks her fourth year in jail due to what her camp claims are trumped-up drug charges.
De Lima turned herself in to authorities on Feb. 24, 2017 after Judge Juanita Guerrero of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 54 issued a warrant of arrest the day before, finding probable cause in the case filed by the Justice Department. Guerrero inhibited herself from the case in 2018 after de Lima’s camp accused her of partiality in the case.
Today, two out of three drug charges remain pending against De Lima, as one case was recently dismissed.
A “Statement of Indignation” released today called for “the immediate release of De Lima and the dropping of all trumped-up drug charges filed against her by the vindictive Duterte regime.”
The statement, which was carried by some publications, was signed by local and international leaders, politicians, activists, and organizations.
In today’s Philippine Daily Inquirer, to mark @SenLeiladeLima’s fourth year in unjust detention. #FreeLeilaNow pic.twitter.com/KdnQ5feW6G
— John Nery (@jnery_newsstand) February 24, 2021
“Injustice to Senator Leila de Lima is injustice to the Filipino people. This year marks another 365 days of unjust detention of a modern Filipino hero who dared to stand against abuses to the oppressed and the powerless. We stand with the rest of the world in calling for her freedom,” the statement said.
Locally, the statement was signed by members of the opposition including Rep. Carlos Zarate, Rep. Edcel Lagman, Rep. Sarah Elago, former Senators Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV and Bam Aquino, former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, former DepEd Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro, former Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman, former Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, and former Senator and Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas.
Foreign personalities who signed include Philip Alston, former UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions who issued a report on the Duterte war on drugs; Emily Lau of the Democratic Party of Hong Kong; Tian Chua, Vice President of Peoples’ Justice Party, Malaysia; some politicians from Maldives and members of international advocacy groups.
Human Rights Watch also issued a separate statement also calling on authorities to drop all charges and release de Lima.
A live online concert dubbed “#Leilaya” will also be held later today, 7:30 PM.
On her Twitter account, de Lima responded to media queries about her thoughts on her fourth year of detention with the statement - “freedom and vindication soon!”
FREEDOM AND VINDICATION SOON! — This is Sen. Leila M. de Lima's response to the members of the media when asked about her thoughts as she marks her fourth year of unjust detention tomorrow (Feb. 24). pic.twitter.com/TV0vZiKlnz
— Leila de Lima (@SenLeiladeLima) February 23, 2021
(Thumbnail and banner photos from Sen. Leila de Lima's social media accounts)