MANILA, Philippines — Senator Leila de Lima on Saturday said lawmakers in the United States are supporting her due to the worsening human rights crisis in the Philippines.
“These lawmakers have come together to support me, not just because of the injustice done to me, but more importantly because of the worsening human rights situation in the Philippines, and its impact on our democracy,” the senator said in a dispatch from Camp Crame on Saturday.
De Lima said this after a US Senate panel approved a resolution prompting the Philippine government to free De Lima, who is detained at Camp Crame in Quezon City on drug charges, and dismiss charges against Rappler chief executive officer Maria Ressa.
The senator said the resolution proves that her drug cases filed against her are fake.
“I say with utmost candor that this strong, and resoundingly unanimous and bipartisan support for me and my causes from the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and earlier, from the Appropriations Committee, is further proof of the fakeness of the charges against me,” she said.