Leila ready for jail, hits ‘travesty of justice’

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Leila de Lima is preparing herself to become the “first political prisoner” under the Duterte administration after the Department of Justice filed what she described as trumped up drug charges before the Muntinlupa regional trial court (RTC) yesterday.       

De Lima said her lawyers are “on top of the situation” and are set to file motions as soon as the cases are raffled on Monday to a specific RTC branch that would hear arguments and possibly issue a warrant for her arrest. 

“I have long prepared myself to be the first political prisoner under this regime, because the criminal charges and prosecution are nothing less than a politically motivated act to clamp down on any vocal opposition against its support for a policy of EJK (extrajudicial killing) in dealing with suspected criminals,” De Lima said in a statement.

“This is travesty of truth and justice, plain and simple political persecution. I will fight this out for as long as I can. They can never break my spirit,” she said in a separate text message to reporters.

The senator sought to rally the people against her “looming imprisonment based on false charges” and efforts of the Office of the Solicitor General to release Janet Lim-Napoles.

She described the developments as wake-up calls that the country needs.

“If the loss of my freedom is the price I have to pay for standing up against the butchery of the Duterte regime, then it is a price I am willing to pay. But they are mistaken if they think my fight ends here. It has only begun,” De Lima said.

She pictured the administration as “fascist” that wages vindictive politics against its political enemies.

“In the end, justice will prevail and we will be vindicated,” De Lima said.