De Lima remains resolute in seeking justice for alleged political persecution under Duterte
Metro Manila, Philippines — Former Sen. Leila de Lima remains steadfast in her pursuit of accountability for what she calls her "political persecution" under former President Rodrigo Duterte's administration.
In an interview on Zoom In with Menchu Macapagal, the former senator shared that her legal team is meticulously compiling evidence to file cases against key figures in the Duterte administration.
While De Lima could not disclose specific timelines or the nature of the evidence, she stressed the importance of gathering testimony from Bilibid inmates who falsely testified against her.
Some of these witnesses have already retracted their statements, citing coercion by government agents.
However, De Lima’s legal team faces the challenge of accessing these inmates, many of whom are now in remote penal colonies.
"My chief persecutor, the one behind it, is the former president himself," De Lima said, linking her arrest to Duterte’s alleged grudge over her criticisms of his supposed human rights abuses, including the Davao Death Squad and drug war killings.
De Lima was incarcerated for nearly seven years over drug-related charges which she has consistently denied, calling them fabricated.
In June, the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 206 cleared De Lima of another drug-related charge — the last in a string of cases — by granting her motion for a demurrer to evidence.
Her first drug case was dismissed in 2021 while the second was similarly thrown out in 2023, the same year she was granted bail for the third case.
Anticipating ICC warrant for Duterte’s arrest
Despite the ongoing House hearings on extrajudicidial killings (EJKs), De Lima voiced her strong support for the International Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation into Duterte's drug war.
De Lima hopes that the ICC would soon issue a warrant for Duterte's arrest, signaling an important step toward justice for the thousands of victims.
“We have to admit that Congress won't have really all the time to dig deeper into the issue of the EJKs, into the crimes against humanity, because it has other responsibilities,” she said, adding that the government has to allow the ICC to proceed.
TIMELINE: ICC probe into the Philippines' war on drugs
Calls for stronger law enforcement
De Lima is also calling for stronger law enforcement following revelations during recent congressional hearings about the illegal operations tied to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and drug war EJKs.
She cited the hearings’ findings on illegal activities within POGOs, including drug smuggling and the use of falsified birth certificates by foreign nationals, and stressed the importance of reforming law enforcement institutions.
“A lot of incidents involve wayward enforcers,” De Lima noted.
