Dispatch from Crame No. 629: Sen. Leila M. de Lima’s Statement on Gordon’s Repeated Malicious Accusation that She Raised Campaign Funds from the GCTA
I do not really know what Sen. Gordon’s beef with me is. He is the only source of the supposed rumor that I used the GCTA IRR to shake down prisoners. He repeats the same lie today on ANC’s Headstart. (My staff immediately sent to me the transcription of said interview.) But his loose tongue […]
Dispatch from Crame No. 628: Sen. Leila M. de Lima’s Sunday Reflections
An extraordinary novel I’m currently hooked reading is Laura Hillenbrand’s “Unbroken,” a World War II true story of survival, resilience and redemption. Agonizingly tortuous yet inspiring. From this rare book of flawless storytelling, I cannot resist sharing these most profound and deeply stirring lines: “Dignity…This self-respect and sense of self-worth, the innermost armament of the […]
Dispatch from Crame No. 627: Sen. Leila M. de Lima’s statement on impunity and cover-ups, and the possible fate of ninja cops
Lack of accountability breeds impunity. General/Mayor Magalong’s apprehension that the ninja cops will probably end up dead is well-founded, given the deeply-entrenched culture of impunity and violence that Rodrigo Duterte has propagated since he came into power. It is not far-fetched that these ninja cops will be eliminated to protect the masterminds of a flourishing […]
Dispatch from Crame No. 626: Sen. Leila M. de Lima’s prayer for the early recovery of former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr.
I join many, especially his family, in fervent prayers for the early recovery of former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. who is reportedly very ill and in ICU.
Dispatch from Crame No. 625: Sen. Leila M. de Lima’s Sunday Sharing
Each society should be judged by the value it puts on human dignity and human conscience. Failing on this score is to brutalize the human spirit and humanity. Our treatment, for example, of Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs), those confined in severely congested and decrepit national prisons and city jails, warrants serious reflection. Tough-sounding measures, […]
Dispatch from Crame No. 624: Sen. Leila M. de Lima’s Statement on the Supreme Court’s Decision Allowing Mary Jane Veloso to Testify versus Recruiters
I welcome the Supreme Court’s decision to allow Mary Jane Veloso to testify by way of deposition against her illegal recruiters, who used her as a drug mule in Indonesia. It was during my term as Justice Secretary when the DOJ task force designated to review Mary Jane’s case recommended to convince the Indonesian Government […]
Dispatch from Crame No. 623: Sen. Leila M. de Lima’s statement on Spokesperson Panelo’s remarks on the transportation problem in Metro Manila
Spokesperson Salvador Panelo is obviously out of touch with the dismal state of mass transportation in the country, particularly in Metro Manila. He has the gall to say there is no transportation crisis. What I see here is an accountability crisis, where this administration refuses to take responsibility over the deteriorating state of mobility in […]
Dispatch from Crame No. 622: Sen. Leila M. de Lima’s statement on the DOJ’s latest move in beefing up its Prosecution Team against her
I detest in the utmost sense the latest move of DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra to deploy an army of special prosecutors led by no less than the Prosecutor General himself, PG Malcontento, for the sole purpose of prosecuting the farcical criminal cases filed against me. That the PG himself is so named in no uncertain […]
Dispatch from Crame No. 621: Sen. Leila M. de Lima’s statement on Chief Justice Bersamin’s recent remarks
The Hon. Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin regards the US Senators’ move to ban my oppressors as a “PR tour de force”. No, Sir. It’s nothing like that. It’s about standing up, in concrete terms, for human rights and accountability. It’s a matter of truth and justice. These principles, which are revered in democratic societies like […]
Dispatch from Crame No. 620: Sen. Leila M. de Lima’s Statement on Ambassador Romualdez’s silly conspiracy theory about HR groups lobbying in US Congress
In his latest newspaper column, Duterte Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel “Babes” Romualdez reported that so-called “intelligence” people are supposedly verifying reports about human rights groups or “certain groups using human rights advocates as fronts” in putting pressure on the US Congress. I hope they’re not implying that sinister forces are working on my […]