Members of the opposition, led by former vice president Leni Robredo, on Monday, Nov. 13, welcomed the decision of a Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court to allow detained former senator Leila de Lima to post bail on the third and final drug case filed against her.
Former senator Leila de Lima holds a wooden crucifix as she arrives at the Muntinlupa Hall of Justice on Monday, Nov. 13, 2023. (Arnold Quizol /MANILA BULLETIN)
In separate statements, Robredo and former senators Bam Aquino and Antonio Trillanes IV lauded the decision to allow temporary freedom for the ex-lawmaker, who had been detained for almost seven years.
“Matagal nating hinintay ang araw na ito, sa pananalig na ang tama at totoo ang palaging mananaig (We have long waited for this day, in the hopes that what’s right and true will always prevail),” Robredo wrote in a Facebook post.
“Pinatutunayang muli ngayon na walang basehan ang mga paratang laban kay Senator Leila. 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 (This is proof that the allegations against Senator Leila are baseless. All the defamation and harassment she experienced for almost seven years are born out of her bravery to stand for what’s right—for our people),” she added.
The former vice president, a staunch defender of De Lima, who ran and lost alongside her during the 2022 national elections, expressed her happiness that the former senator can finally be with her family again.
“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,” she said, adding that De Lima’s victory is also a victory for the nation.
Trillanes, who was with De Lima in Robredo’s senatorial slate in 2022, released a statement in behalf of the Magdalo Group, which he chairs.
“The Magdalo group welcomes the release of former Senator Leila de Lima from detention for almost seven years. This is the biggest step in her quest for justice and redemption,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Trillanes lambasted former president Rodrigo Duterte, who oppositionists claim was behind the trumped-up charges against De Lima.
“The whole world will now know how Duterte misused and abused power to persecute those who dared stand up to his murderous regime. Mabuhay ka, Sen. Leila!,” he added.
Aquino, likewise, hailed how truth and justice prevailed after almost seven years of being unjust detention.
“Sa wakas, nanaig ang katotohanan at katarungan sa pitong taong panggigipit, kasinungalingan, at paninira (Finally, truth and justice prevailed after seven years of harassment, lies, and defamation),” he wrote on Facebook.
De Lima was detained at the Camp Crame custodial facility for six years and eight months after multiple drug charges were filed against her. She claimed that these made-up drug charges were architected by Duterte, whom she was a vocal critic of during his bloody war on drugs campaign and various human rights violations.
There was international pressure for the ex-senator’s release, and many believed she would soon be released after Duterte stepped down from power in 2022.
Of the three drug charges filed against the former lawmaker, two have already been dismissed through demurrer of evidence in February 2021 and the other through lack of merit of the prosecution’s case in May 2023.
She remains on trial, but is now allowed to post bail, on her third and final drug case.