Senate minority backs Leila’s plea

MANILA, Philippines — Members of the Senate minority bloc supported yesterday the appeal of detained Sen. Leila de Lima for the Supreme Court (SC) to reconsider its earlier decision dismissing her petition to nullify her arrest on drug charges.

The bloc, led by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, said there was enough reason to grant De Lima’s motion for reconsideration, especially since the 9-6 voting of the SC magistrates manifests “not only the absence of a consensus, but a division among the members of the high court on the nature of the crime.”

“The case should be revisited as it involves a picture larger than the unjust detention of a vocal critic of the President, but the violation of human rights and debasement of basic freedoms, which could happen to anybody,” the senators said in a statement.

 They said critics of the Duterte administration have been chastised for their dissent.

 “We should oppose these dubious and malevolent attempts to silence the opposition as it would be tantamount to wrecking democracy,” they said.

 They expressed hope that the SC magistrates would show that the high tribunal is above politics and “will not be a party to political persecution by the administration.”

 On Oct. 10, the SC voted 9-6 in dismissing De Lima’s petition to nullify the arrest warrant issued against her by the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204 for her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prisons when she was justice secretary.