Former Sen. Leila de Lima Acquitted on Last Drug Case
LEILA DE LIMA – The United States welcomed the acquittal of the last drug case filed against the former Senator.
One of the former senators who have been the center of controversy for a time was former Senator Leila de Lima. She has also served as the chief of the Department of Justice (DOJ) during the term of the late former President Noynoy Aquino.
In 2016, De Lima was one of those who secured a seat in the Senate. However, she was detained due to the drug charges filed against her. The former Senator was accused of being involved in the drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison when she was the Justice Secretary.
The then-Senator denied the allegations against her. She also believes that the cases filed against her were politically-motivated. It is no secret to the public that De Lima had heated exchange of statements versus then President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
There were several witnesses against former Sen. Leila de Lima. However, in the previous months, the witnesses on the De Lima cases have recanted their testimonies. The drug charges against the former Senator was also one-by-one dismissed.
Recently, the last drug case filed against De Lima was dismissed by the Court. It was in November 2023 when De Lima was released after posting bail. She was detained for more than 6 years.
Based on a recent report on ABS-CBN News, the United States welcomed the acquittal of the last drug case against former Sen. Leila de Lima. US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller also expressed the commitment of the U.S. with the Philippine government in strengthening democracy and human rights.
“We continue to urge the Philippines to resolve politically motivated cases, including those against journalists and civil society, in a manner consistent with its international human rights obligations and commitments,” Miller said.
Based on the article, aside from the U.S. State Department, European Union Ambassador Luc Veron also commented on the acquittal of the last drug case against De Lima. He said that “the EU applauds and stands alongside this verdict for justice and human rights”.
As for British Ambassador Laure Beaufils, it is a “significant step for the rule of law”. Australian Ambassador HK Yu also welcomed the decision and expressed the country’s continuous support to the rule of law and respect for human rights.