Junking of De Lima bail request crushes Reps Brosas, Castro
Former senator Leila de Lima (Senate PRIB)
Makabayan solons Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro have expressed disappointment over a Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court's (RTC) junking of former senator Leila de Lima's petition for bail. "We, in Gabriela Women's Party, are disappointed over the denial of the bail petition of former Senator Leila de Lima in her remaining drug case," Brosas said in a statement Wednesday night, June 7. "We strongly condemn the continued persecution of critics and opposition leaders who dare to stand up against the government's anti-poor policies. "Despite this latest development, we continue to stand in solidarity with Senator De Lima and demand that the trumped-up charges against her be dropped and that she be afforded due process," added Brosas. Brosas said the government can't deny that the charges filed against De Lima during the previous Duterte administration were "politically motivated and that her investigations into the extrajudicial killings [were] the reason why she was charged". Castro expressed the same sentiments, saying she was "shocked and disappointed" over the court's move. "De Lima has been detained for more than six years on drug charges...which even the Inter-Parliamentary Union has found to be politically-motivated and having 'no evidence to justify [them]'," she said. "Denying bail to Senator De Lima, despite her poor health condition and the lack of evidence against her, is a clear indication that justice in this country is influenced by powerful interests," Castro said. She added, "This is not the first time that we have witnessed the political persecution of individuals who are critical of the government. This is a blatant disregard for human rights and the rule of law." Castro called on authorities to immediately release the former senator and drop all charges against her. "We stand with Senator De Lima and her family during these trying times. We will continue to fight for the protection of human rights and the rule of law in this country...We will not stop in our fight for justice and human rights," she further said. De Lima, a former Department of Justice (DOJ) secretary, is in jail for her alleged links to the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP). Her term in the Senate lasted from 2016 to 2022. She has been detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame since 2017.