Lawmakers and groups have called for the immediate release of detained former senator Leila de Lima after the attempted hostage incident happened on Sunday, Oct. 9.
The Makabayan Bloc refiled the House Resolution no. 198 or ‘Urging the Department of Justice to immediately withdraw the remaining charges against detained former senator Leila De Lima in light of the recent recantations by key witnesses in her drug-related cases and move for her release from unjust and arbitrary detention.’
This was first introduced by Kabataan partylist Rep. Raoul Danniel Manuel, Act Teachers partylist Rep. France Castro, and Gabriela women’s party Rep. Arelene Brosas in August.
“With the recent foiled hostage taking victimizing ex-Sen de Lima, it is urgent that she be freed immediately or at least granted bail as more witnesses vs her already recanted their statements and said these were made under duress,“ Castro said in a statement on Sunday.
Castro asked fellow lawmakers to support the said resolution to urge the justice department to immediately withdraw the charges against de Lima.
Senator Risa Hontiveros also reignited her call to free de Lima.
Hontiveros is one of the officials who visited de Lima inside the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame on Sunday afternoon after the hostage incident occurred.
“The case against her is lost. Inuulit ko, nalusaw na, basura na ang kaso laban kay Senator Leila. Nananawagan ako sa bagong administrasyon na gawin ang tama sa moral, gawin ang tama sa legal, at palayain na si Leila ngayon,“ she told reporters in an media interview.
Hontiveros also demanded for a thorough investigation and explanation of the PNP and the justice department.
In a Facebook post, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno asserted that de Lima “should be released on bail immediately.“
“She is not a flight risk and given the state of the evidence, there is every reason to grant her provisional liberty,“ he added.
In a statement, the international watchdog group Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the incident has “underscored a compelling need to release de Lima from detention.“
“The Philippine government has held her hostage the past five years for her human rights advocacy. The international community, which is now keen on working with the Marcos Administration in spite of the many human rights issues it faces, should exert pressure on President Marcos to end de Lima’s suffering and return to her family and friends,“ it added.
De Lima was offered by President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. to transfer into another prison cell but she later declined.
The former opposition senator was detained since 2017 over the charges linked to the drug-trafficking scandal.
