A Philippines court on Monday dismissed the final charge against former senator Leila De Lima (C), who was arrested in February 2017.
File Photo by Joseph Vidal/Philippine Senate Public Relations and information bureau/EPA
June 24 (UPI) -- Former senator and human rights advocate Leila de Lima had her third and final drug trafficking-related charge dismissed by a Philippines court on Monday, ending her more than half decade legal ordeal that followed her criticism of President Rodrigo Duterte's controversial and deadly war on drugs.
De Lima was detained in February 2017 on three drug-related charges that she described as political, stemming from her outspoken criticism of then-President Duterte's violent crack down on drug traffickers and users. Her arrest was condemned by Democratic nations and human rights advocates.
A court dismissed one of the three charges against her in 2021, with the second charge falling in May 2023. De Lima was then released on bail in November.
Her third and final charged was dismissed Monday by the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court Branch 206, granting de Lima's request on accusations the government lacked evidence.
After the hearing, Judge Gener Gito told de Lima that she now has "unmitigated freedom," Rappler reported.
"My heart is full with all the love pouring in today after the dismissal of all my cases," deLima said in a statement Monday.
"Thank you to everyone who believed in my innocence and that one day I will be finally vindicated. Today is that day of sweet and just freedom."
De Lima was one of the most outspoken critics of Duterte and his regime and she was arrested amid her efforts to open an investigation into his controversial war on drugs campaign that began in 2016 and, which, according to estimates from the International Criminal Court, resulted in the killings of between 12,000 and 30,000 people.
"This is full freedom and vindication, finally, for human rights defender Leila de Lima, after her nearly seven years of arbitrary detention, as well as relentless political persecution," Montse Ferrer, deputy regional director of for research at Amnesty International, said Monday in a statement.
Ferrer described de Lima's detention as a "gross injustice" and that Monday's dismissal "is a clear rejection of concerted government efforts to silence her and undermine her human rights work."
She is also calling on the government of President Ferdinand Marcos to improve conditions in the country for human rights defenders and to investigate those responsible for de Lima's detention.
According to the U.S. State Department's annual report on human rights conditions in the Philippines, human rights advocates and non-government organizations experienced a chilling under Duterte that has continued at a "lower level" under the Marcos administration, which began in June 2022.
It said significant human rights issues are present in the country, including arbitrary or unlawful killings as well as arbitrary detention.
The U.S. State Department on Monday welcomed de Lima's acquittal.
"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," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
June 24 (UPI) -- Former senator and human rights advocate Leila de Lima had her third and final drug trafficking-related charge dismissed by a Philippines court on Monday, ending her more than half decade legal ordeal that followed her criticism of President Rodrigo Duterte's controversial and deadly war on drugs.
De Lima was detained in February 2017 on three drug-related charges that she described as political, stemming from her outspoken criticism of then-President Duterte's violent crack down on drug traffickers and users. Her arrest was condemned by Democratic nations and human rights advocates.
A court dismissed one of the three charges against her in 2021, with the second charge falling in May 2023. De Lima was then released on bail in November.
Her third and final charged was dismissed Monday by the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court Branch 206, granting de Lima's request on accusations the government lacked evidence.
After the hearing, Judge Gener Gito told de Lima that she now has "unmitigated freedom," Rappler reported.
"My heart is full with all the love pouring in today after the dismissal of all my cases," deLima said in a statement Monday.
"Thank you to everyone who believed in my innocence and that one day I will be finally vindicated. Today is that day of sweet and just freedom."
De Lima was one of the most outspoken critics of Duterte and his regime and she was arrested amid her efforts to open an investigation into his controversial war on drugs campaign that began in 2016 and, which, according to estimates from the International Criminal Court, resulted in the killings of between 12,000 and 30,000 people.
"This is full freedom and vindication, finally, for human rights defender Leila de Lima, after her nearly seven years of arbitrary detention, as well as relentless political persecution," Montse Ferrer, deputy regional director of for research at Amnesty International, said Monday in a statement.
Ferrer described de Lima's detention as a "gross injustice" and that Monday's dismissal "is a clear rejection of concerted government efforts to silence her and undermine her human rights work."
She is also calling on the government of President Ferdinand Marcos to improve conditions in the country for human rights defenders and to investigate those responsible for de Lima's detention.
According to the U.S. State Department's annual report on human rights conditions in the Philippines, human rights advocates and non-government organizations experienced a chilling under Duterte that has continued at a "lower level" under the Marcos administration, which began in June 2022.
It said significant human rights issues are present in the country, including arbitrary or unlawful killings as well as arbitrary detention.
The U.S. State Department on Monday welcomed de Lima's acquittal.
"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," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
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