Senator Leila M. de Lima is grateful to her colleague, Sen. Ralph Recto, for making a plea to the incoming administration to free her.
De Lima, the most prominent political prisoner under the Duterte regime, said she is humbled by Recto’s kind remarks during his farewell speech as an outgoing Senator of the 18th Congress last June 1.
“My profound gratitude for your farewell speech yesterday in which you honor me and call for my freedom,” she said in a handwritten letter to Recto.
“I am moved and humbled by the gesture and greatly pleased with the importance and forcefulness of the words therein,” she added.
In the said address during the last session day of the 18th Congress, Recto urged the “President-elect,” referring to Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., to free De Lima, who has been languishing in jail for more than five years now due to trumped-up and politically-motivated drug charges.
“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. Trolls put her behind bars. The truth shall set her free,” the Senator from Batangas said.
“Mr. President-elect, free Leila,” Recto added.
The lady Senator from Bicol said she couldn’t agree more with Recto as she is now focusing on the dismissal of bogus drug cases against her.
“You are right, Sen. Ralph. No prison walls could contain me; so is justice and my determination to see my full vindication,” De Lima said.
Prior to Recto, Sen. Grace Poe also expressed her solidarity with De Lima in her speech giving tribute to eight outgoing Senators, saying, “Senator Leila is unbroken, but her incarceration is proof that our justice system is broken.” (30)