Rep. Leila de Lima. Photo from House of Representatives.
MANILA, Philippines — Former lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc have called out the Department of Justice (DOJ) for continuing to challenge the acquittal of Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima from drug-related charges, calling it a weaponization of the justice system.
In a statement on Wednesday, former ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro and former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo said De Lima’s experience mirrors that of the so-called “Talaingod 13,” a group of activists convicted of violating anti-child abuse laws for rescuing minors during a solidarity mission in Talaingod in November 2018.
Castro and Ocampo are among the Talaingod 13.
“What they are doing to Congresswoman De Lima is exactly what they did to us in the Talaingod 13 case—fabricated charges, trial by publicity, and relentless persecution—all part of a broader campaign to silence critics of their flawed policies,” Castro said in Filipino.
“Senator De Lima spent over six years in detention based on coerced testimonies and fabricated evidence. Now that the truth has come out and she’s been acquitted, instead of apologizing for this grave injustice, they file another motion to prolong her suffering. This is not justice — this is vindictive persecution,” Ocampo added.
On Wednesday, it was reported that state prosecutors from the DOJ again sought the reversal of De Lima’s acquittal in the second of three drug cases filed against her by the previous administration.
In a 17-page motion for reconsideration dated July 14, DOJ prosecutors asked the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court to reconsider its June 27 decision and declare De Lima and her co-accused, Ronnie Dayan, guilty of conspiracy to commit drug trading.
READ: DOJ appeals ‘revised’ court decision acquitting De Lima
De Lima has slammed the DOJ over the latest motion, saying she can no longer understand the prosecution’s motives.
“I don’t understand what the prosecution is trying to do! Put me in triple jeopardy after nearly 7 years in unjust detention? This is no longer just laughable, it’s infuriating,” she said mostly in Filipino.
According to Castro and Ocampo, they and De Lima were targeted because they were vocal critics of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.
“We are both victims of political persecution. We were charged for rescuing Lumad children from paramilitary forces. Congresswoman De Lima was charged because she investigated Duterte’s extrajudicial killings. Our crime? Doing what is right,” Castro said in Filipino.
“The pattern is clear: fabricate cases, use the media, and weaponize the courts to silence the opposition. This is not a justice system—this is state terrorism disguised as legal process,” Ocampo added in Filipino.
“We are not the only victims. Many other progressive leaders, human rights defenders, and ordinary citizens have been targeted by this kind of persecution. We must take a stand against it,” Castro noted in Filipino.
The case against Castro and Ocampo stemmed from an incident in November 2018, when tribal leaders shut down the Lumad school Salugpungan in Talaingod upon the military’s orders. Teachers then evacuated the area, bringing with them 14 Lumad students, who were picked up by Castro and Ocampo’s group.
READ: Ocampo, Castro, 11 others convicted of child abuse
De Lima, meanwhile, maintains that the drug charges against her were politically motivated, filed in retaliation for her decision to investigate the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs—as then Commission on Human Rights chair, Justice Secretary, and later, senator.
In February 2017, the DOJ filed charges accusing her of allowing the drug trade to thrive in the New Bilibid Prison and receiving money from drug lords. She was arrested on February 24, 2017, and detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
READ: Timeline: The ordeal of Leila de Lima
De Lima has since been acquitted in all three drug cases, with the final case dismissed in June 2024. She was released from detention in November 2023 after being granted bail—ending nearly seven years of incarceration.
“They continue their relentless persecution of us and of Congresswoman De Lima. But we will not give up. Our fight for justice is also a fight for democracy. We will only achieve true justice when we all stand up against political persecution,” Castro said in Filipino. /jpv