Felicitas de Lima talks to members of media. INQUIRER.NET / PATHRICIA ANN V. ROXAS
CAMARINES SUR, Philippines – Felicitas de Lima is unsure of her niece’s fate this year but she is certain of one thing: that the Otso Diretso senatorial candidates would fight for justice.
“‘Yan ang hindi ko alam but I know they will work for justice, all of them,” Felicitas, the aunt of detained Sen. Leila de Lima told reporters Wednesday when asked if she thought the senator would be freed once the opposition slate wins.
The 82-year-old nun nonetheless supports the eight-man opposition slate because of their qualifications and principles.
“May kwalipikasyon na maging (senador) sa senado… To become a senator you must understand what the law is,” said Felicitas, a silver cross dangling from her neck.
“They know what is human rights, they know freedom, they know what it is to stand for a cause,” she added.
Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, incumbent Sen. Bam Aquino, Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal and former congressman Erin Tañada arrived in Iriga City to eat breakfast with De Lima’s relatives and supporters.
They came straight from the Naga airport to continue their back-to-back campaign a day after conducting door-to-door persuasion in Caloocan City on Tuesday.
Former Department of Interior and Local Government Mar Roxas was a no-show here, but his fellow Otso Diretso candidates said he would attend their afternoon campaign.
For Diokno, De Lima deserves to be freed.
“Kasi grabe naman ngayon ang kalagayan ni Sen. Leila. I really believe na she should be free. Wala namang basehan yung pagsampa ng kaso sa kanya,” Diokno said.
De Lima is detained in Camp Crame in Quezon City on drug charges.
Gutoc meanwhile said the visit to De Lima’s family was a way of showing their advocacies like justice and human rights.
“Bilang laylayan na partner ng vice president, talagang laylayan kami sa survey, but we’re ready to fight in our launching today,” Gutoc stressed.
“Hindi kami laylayan sa agenda at plataporma. Napaka-frontline ng aming issue, issue ng karahasan, hustisya, kababaihan, kabastusan. It’s never laylayan to talk about rights,” she added. /cbb