Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 13) – After more than six years in detention for what she insists are trumped up drug charges, former Senator Leila de Lima on Monday was allowed to post bail in her final drug case and finally released. Former Vice President Leni Robredo, lawmakers, human rights defenders, and foreign envoys rejoiced over the development.
De Lima, a staunch critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his bloody war on drugs, was jailed during his administration. She was accused of involvement with the drug trade in New Bilibid Prison and that she used funds from the illegal activities to fund her 2016 senatorial campaign.
READ: De Lima released from detention after over six years
Robredo, who campaigned for De Lima’s release, said immediately after news broke that allegations against her have finally been proven to be baseless. Robredo lamented the abuses faced by the former senator during her time behind bars.
“Ang lahat ng mga paninira at panggigipit na naranasan niya sa loob ng halos pitong taon ay bunga ng kaniyang pangangahas na tumindig para sa tama—para sa ating mga kababayan” Robredo said.
[Translation: All the abuses she experienced for almost seven years were the result of standing up for what is right–for our countrymen.]
“Through all these years, Sen. Leila has been a source of inspiration for us. Her courage and her faith lent so many of us the resolve to continue fighting the good fight, to speak truth to power, and to keep believing that the Filipino people deserve so much more,” Robredo continued. “Masaya ako na sa wakas ay namayani ang hustisya at makakapiling na natin nang malaya si Sen Leila. Tagumpay ito hindi lang para sa kaniya, kundi para sa ating bayan,” she ended.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, a close friend of the former senator, described the development as a vindication of de Lima, as well as the opposition that was critical of the Duterte administration.
“Si Sen. Leila na miyembro ng oposisyon na pinakasumalo ng pinakamalakas na dagok mula sa administrasyong Duterte,” Hontiveros said. “Si Sen Leila na nag-labor sa ilalim ng tatlong walang kakwenta-kwentang kaso at kailangang hintayin na isa-isang mag-recant yung mga diumanong saksi laban sa kanya, at sa wakas, makapakinabang sa karapatan niyang simpleng mag-post ng bail bilang bahagi ng due process.”
[Translation: Sen. Leila was the opposition member who received the hardest blows from the Duterte administration. She labored under three worthless cases and had to wait for her witnesses to recant their testimonies against her. Finally, she was afforded her right to simply post bail under due process.]
Hontiveros was emotional when she met De Lima outside of a jail cell for the first time in almost seven years.
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