Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Wednesday urged President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to release Senator Leila De Lima.
During the Senate's last session of the 18th Congress, Recto, an outgoing Senator, Recto said trolls put De Lima behind bars, but the truth shall set her free.
"Another feisty lady worthy of our respect is Leila de Lima. A prisoner of conscience, punished for her courage, but whose spirit no prison walls could contain," said Recto in his farewell speech to Senate.
"Trolls put her behind bars. The truth shall set her free. Mr. President-elect, free Leila."
He made the remarks are a growing number of witnesses begin recanting their allegations against De Lima, saying they were coerced into implicating her in drug trafficking allegations.
In response, De Lima expressed her gratitude to Recto in a statement.
"Maraming salamat, Sen. Ralph Recto!" she said while publishing the portion of his speech that called on Marcos to free her.
(Thank you very much, Sen. Ralph Recto!)
Recto is now returning to the House of Representatives after being elected in the May elections as representative for the 6th district of Batangas.
