De Lima among Financial Times readers’ ‘most influential’ women of 2019

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Leila de Lima has been included in the list of most influential women of 2019 by a London-based business newspaper.

The detained lawmaker is among the most influential women from across the globe, according to readers of the Financial Times.

The business newspaper said it received more than 100 nominations but only 16 women “stood out.”

“The Filipino senator remains detained over drugs allegations that she and her supporters say were fabricated. De Lima had led a human rights investigation against Rodrigo Duterte into alleged extrajudicial killings that took place while he was a mayor of Davao City,” the description provided by Instagram user hcamp_spacesption to Financial Times read.

“Her handwritten dispatches from her cell are incisive missives and commentary on the issues the Philippines faces,” it added.

Financial Times readers also named climate activist Greta Thunberg, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, US Senator Elizabeth Warren, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge as trailblazers of the year.

De Lima was previously recognized as one of the world’s greatest leaders by Fortune Magazine, one of the 100 Most Influential People by Time Magazine, one of the leading Global Thinkers in 2016 and 2017 by Foreign Policy Magazine and one of Southeast Asia’s Women to Watch by the Diplomat Magazine.

De Lima is facing conspiracy to commit drug trading charges before Muntinlupa courts and has been detained inside the police headquarters in Quezon City since Feb. 24, 2017. She said the “trumped-up” drug chargest against her were part of a presidential vendetta. — Gaea Katreena Cabico