Detained Senator Leila de Lima (Image from her Twitter account)
MANILA, Philippines — Detained senator Leila de Lima expressed hopes that more individuals will be enlightened after presidential candidate Sen. Manny Pacquiao joined calls for her release from jail over drug-related charges.
“Nagpapasalamat ako kay [Senator Manny Pacquiao], na pagkatapos ng mahigit 5 taon, ay nanawagan na s’yang ako ay palayain na. May God continue to guide him,” De Lima said on social media Thursday night.
(I thank Senator Manny Pacquiao who, after five years of my detention, has now called for my release. May God continue to guide him.)
“Umaasa ako na marami pang maliliwanagan sa mga gawa-gawang kaso laban sa’kin, at ng iba pang mga bilanggong politikal,” she added.
(I hope that more will be enlightened over the trumped up charges against me and other victims of political persecution.)
Pacquiao on Wednesday backed calls for De Lima’s release after two witnesses—self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa and former Bureau of Corrections chief Rafael Ragos—retracted their testimonies against the detained senator.
“Sabi ko nga, kawawa naman ‘yung tao kung halimbawa inosente siya eh ang tagal na, ilang taon na? Limang taon. Mahigit. So, sana palayain na … Para ‘yung tao naman mabigyan ng pagkakataon para mangampanya,” Pacquiao said in Cebu.
(As I said, it’s a pity that she – for example, she’s innocent, it’s been so long, how many years already? More than five years. So, hopefully, she is set free… So she can be given the chance to campaign.)
Pacquiao previously said he wants due process for and a speedy trial fo de Lima.
De Lima has been detained in Camp Crame, Quezon City, since February 2017 on drug charges which she repeatedly denied.