Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima thanked Presidential aspirants Vice President Leni Robredo and labor leader Ka Leody de Guzman for including her in their Senatorial lineup for the 2022 elections.
De Lima, the most prominent political prisoner under the Duterte regime, said she is more than grateful for VP Robredo’s trust and unwavering support for her.
“Maraming salamat VP Leni for your trust and unwavering support from Day 1 up until today that I am seeking reelection. Isang malaking karangalan na mapabilang sa hanay ng mga pinagkakatiwalaan ninyong magpatuloy bilang Senador ni Sen. Kiko,” she said.
“Patuloy kong patutunayan: Ipinakulong man nila ako, hinding-hindi nila maikukulong ang katotohanan at ang hangarin kong paglingkuran ang ating bayan,” she added.
In announcing her Senatorial slate, Robredo said she is honored to include De Lima in her list, saying, “Si Senator Leila de Lima, ang tanging dahilan kung bakit sya nasa kulungan, dahil isa sya sa pinakauna at pinakamatapang na tumindig laban sa patayan.”
“Nagsabi at patuloy na nagsasabi ng totoo. Ipinaglalaban niya ang buhay at karapatan ng mga Pilipino. Ipagpapatuloy nya ang laban na ito sa susunod na Senado. Karangalan kong mapabilang sa hanay natin si Senator Leila,” added the Vice President.
De Lima likewise expressed her gratitude to De Guzman.
“Maraming salamat Ka Leody sa iyong tiwala na mapabilang sa sinusuportahan mong maging Senador sa susunod na halalan. Patuloy kong dasal at ikinararangal ang ating pagkakaisa para makamit ang nararapat at ang makatarungan para sa mga manggagawa at naisasantabing sektor ng lipunan,” she said.
De Guzman, in a Twitter post, said that De Lima is among his trusted Senatorial candidates.
“Maraming nagtanong mula kahapon kung sino ang aking mga senador sa 2022. Narito ang aking personal na mungkahi. Wala silang obligasyong dalhin ang aking kandidatura. Hindi ito transactional politics. Nagtitiwala ako sa kanilang hangarin para sa bayan,” stated De Guzman.
Last July 21, De Lima confirmed that she would seek reelection in the 2022 national elections in an indictment letter addressed to Mr. Duterte, where she stressed that the political persecution she has been subjected to by the Duterte regime only strengthened her resolve to fight for her advocacies.
In filing her Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) last Oct. 8, she shared her five (5) foremost advocacies: Social Justice (which encompass the rights to food, health & decent standards of living, Human Rights, Criminal Justice Reform, Good Governance and Rule of Law, and National Sovereignty. (30)