Read: The lawyer of Sen. De Lima shared how the neophyte lawmaker describes herself.
READ – Human rights lawyer Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno shared that he congratulated Sen. Leila De Lima for her description of herself.
Based on a recent news report in Inquirer, Atty. Chel Diokno who now chairs the Free Legal Aid Group (FLAG) shared in a press conference that Sen. De Lima described herself as the first political detainee under the Duterte Administration.
According to the lawyer, he congratulated the lady lawmaker upon hearing her description of herself. However, Diokno, one of the Senator’s lawyers, expressed that “some people will be more reluctant to voice out their opinion” after the arrest of a Senator of the republic.
He emphasized that the people’s rights now are being threatened.
“If a senator of the republic can be arrested just like that, then all of our rights are in jeopardy,” the lawyer expressed.
He addressed the populace to “stand up and make their voices heard” based on the report. He also stressed that the case of the lady Senator is unusual as the charges filed against her were based on the claims of people from the national penitentiary.
“In my experience as a lawyer, those kinds of witnesses are the least that we would want to believe,” said Diokno.
According to the report, the lawyer also confirmed that he was surprised by the warrant of arrest issued against Sen. De Lima.
Based on a previous news report, the warrants of arrest issued by the Muntinlupa Court were against Sen. De Lima, Rafael Ragos, and Ronnie Dayan.
Dayan is the alleged ‘bagman’ of the lady Senator who is now faced with allegations of involvement in the drug trade in New Bilibid Prison way back when she was still the Secretary of the Department of Justice.