Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima expressed dismay over a local court's rejection of her very urgent motion seeking to allow participation in the Commission on Election’s (COMELEC) e-rally on Saturday, Feb. 26.
De Lima, who is seeking reelection for the May 2022 polls, said disallowing her from taking part in the e-rally stripped her off of her right to communicate her platform to the Filipinos.
"I wasn’t asking for special treatment, hence, did not ask for permission to leave the premises of the PNP Custodial Center. Still, the court junked my motion to allow participation in COMELEC’s e-rally through videoconferencing," De Lima said in a statement on Friday, Feb. 25.
"Given my situation, I just wanted to avail of this opportunity to freely communicate my platform to the Filipino electorate," she added.
De Lima filed a "very urgent motion" last Feb. 22 to the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 204 requesting to be allowed to participate in the e-rally through a videoconference call from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
The detained senator's request hinges on "provisions of law protecting a bona fide candidate’s right, during the election period, to be free from any form of harassment and discrimination, and to the “equal opportunity for public service, including access to media time and space, and the equitable right to reply, for public information campaigns and fora among candidates."
However, in an order dated Feb. 25, the Muntinlupa RTC denied De Lima's motion for the main reason that she, on account of her current detention, cannot be accorded the same treatment given to other candidates.
Meanwhile, De Lima emphasized that the foregoing e-rallies "are in accordance with the mandate of the COMELEC to ensure the holding of free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections through fair election practices under Republic Act No. 9006, including through the provision of COMELEC Space and Time."
"As a bona fide and serious candidate, I just want to avail of every reasonable and lawful means under prevailing election laws and COMELEC rules and regulations to promote my re-election bid, as to compensate for my physical handicaps as a Person Deprived of Liberty. I therefore don’t understand the further curtailment of my rights," she said.
A human rights defender and prominent political prisoner under the Duterte administration, De Lima marked her fifth year in unjust detention last Feb. 24. She has consistently and firmly asserted her innocence in the trumped-up charges filed against her.
Due to lack of evidence, De Lima was acquitted in one of these three cases on February 17, 2021, while two other cases are still pending.