De Lima may take legal action vs ‘persecutors’

MANILA, Philippines — Now that she is out on bail after being detained for nearly seven years due to what she described as fabricated drug charges to silence her, former senator Leila de Lima has hinted at taking legal action against those she perceived as her persecutors, saying discussions with her team on the matter are ongoing.

At a press briefing shortly after her release from Camp Crame on Monday, De Lima said it was difficult to be unjustly detained, and stressed the importance of holding accountable those responsible for her imprisonment.

“My lawyers and I are talking about it. We can’t announce anything specific yet. I need to do something, too. It’s not easy, it’s very hard to put someone in jail without any guilt,” De Lima said in Filipino and English.

To former president Rodrigo Duterte, she had this message: “God forgive him and God bless him,” noting the former president “knows what he did to me.”

As of yesterday, Duterte remained mum on De Lima’s release from detention.

He is reportedly expected to make a statement on the
 matter today through his Gikan sa Masa TV program aired over SMNI News Channel.

De Lima was justice secretary during the administration of the late president Benigno Simeon Aquino III, predecessor of the Duterte government.

She was elected senator in 2016, the same year Duterte assumed as president.

Duterte linked De Lima to illegal drug trade activities supposedly occurring inside the New Bilibid Prison when she was justice secretary, which resulted in her incarceration in Ferbruary 2017.

De Lima had expressed hope of attaining justice under the present Marcos government, believing it was unlikely to happen under the Duterte administration.

With the change in the administration, De Lima anticipated justice and for truth to be told that she is innocent.

De Lima thanked the Marcos administration for respecting the independence of the judiciary and upholding the rule of law.

She said the legitimacy of the judiciary lies in its independence, noting the recent developments show a functioning system.

De Lima expressed confidence in the merits of her case, saying she and her legal team have been optimistic about the success of their