Former vice president Leni Robredo and several ambassadors welcomed the acquittal of former senator Leila de Lima from one of the two remaining drug charges against her.

Former senator Leila de Lima at the Muntinlupa Hall of Justice on Friday, May 12 (Photo by Juan Carlo De Vela/MANILA BULLETIN)

In a statement, Robredo said she was one in celebrating the former senator’s acquittal by the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204.

“Tagumpay ito ng katotohanan pagkatapos ng mahigit na anim na taon ng paninira at kasinungalingan laban kay Sen Leila, na ang tanging kasalanan lang ay ang matapang na pagtindig para sa tama (This is victory of the truth after more than six years of mudslinging and lies against Sen Leila whose only sin is to courageously stand for the truth),” she said.

“Ang pagbasura sa kasong ito, bunga ng kawalan ng kahit anumang ebidensiya laban sa kanya, ay malinaw na hakbang tungo sa araw na ito (The dismissal of this case, due to lack of any evidence against her, is a clear step toward this day),” Robredo, the chairperson of Angat Buhay, added.

The former official, a staunch critic of former president Rodrigo Duterte along with de Lima, expressed confidence that she had always on the ex-senator’s innocence.

From the start, Robredo stressed that she believed de Lima would be vindicated and restore her good name.

Meanwhile, the international community also welcomed the court’s decision and underscored the importance of the rule of law in a democracy like the Philippines’.

“Congratulations @AttyLeiladeLima on your acquittal! It has been six long years but I share your happiness that the day has come. Everyone has the right to due process and justice,” European Union Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Veron said in a tweet.

German Ambassador to Manila Anke Reiffenstuel likewise highlighted how de Lima’s case benefited a “functioning democracy.”

“I welcome the progress made by the court's decision. The rule of law is essential for a functioning democracy & important for further strengthening (Philippine - German) relations.
(Germany) will continue to follow the remaining case in which Leila de Lima filed a petition for bail,” she said on Twitter, referring to the last remaining case of the former senator and her pending bail petition.

“Welcome progress on this important case during the 75th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Rule of law and access to justice are foundational to democracy. @CanEmbPH will continue to follow developments closely,” Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman added.

These congratulatory messages came after de Lima her former security aide, Ronnie Dayan, on Friday, May 12, were cleared of charges of conspiring to commit drug trading.

“Reasonable doubt” became the basis of the acquittal after former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Rafael Ragos recanted in 2021 his earlier testimony that he delivered drug money to de Lima through Dayan, Presiding Judge Abraham Joseph Alcantara said in his 39-page decision.

De Lima was jailed on drug charges in February 2017, following her criticisms of Duterte’s drug war, which had killed thousands of mostly poor Filipinos.

When the former president was still mayor of Davao City and de Lima the chair of the human rights commission, she spent years investigating the alleged Davao Death Squad (DDS) under his orchestration.