Palace asks opposition senators not to influence court on De Lima’s case

February 22, 2018

Malacanang urged on Thursday opposition senators not to politicize the court handling the case of Senator Leila de Lima who has been detained for about one year.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque was reacting to the resolution filed by the minority senators calling for De Lima's immediate release after her alleged illegal arrest and unjust detention on Feb. 24 last year.

"Happy first anniversary in detention, Senator Leila de Lima," Roque said in a press briefing in Iloilo City.

"As to the call of the senators, that’s up to the courts. I hope the senators will not politicize our courts. Let our courts function as they should, free from political interference. I’m appealing to the opposition senators, do not influence the judges," he said.

De Lima, who was critical of President Rodrigo Duterte and initiated a Senate investigation on the alleged extrajudicial killings of drug suspects, was arrested in 2017 for her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison when she was still the secretary of the Department of Justice during the previous administration.

De Lima claimed the case filed against her was political persecution.

The minority senators who filed the resolution for De Lima's release were Senators Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan, Antonio Trillanes IV, Bam Aquino, Risa Hontiveros. Celerina Monte/DMS