De Lima vows to continue fight vs. human rights abuses as AI gives her an award

Detained Senator Leila de Lima on Tuesday vowed to keep up her fight against human rights abuses as Amnesty International gave her the "Most Distinguished Human Rights Defender" Award.

“Our mission will never, in truth, be completed because the moment we stop fighting, the moment we believe our work is done and we let our guards down, is the moment that tyrants, authoritarians and abusers will certainly regain their foothold,” De Lima said.

“The moment we let out fire die out is the moment we let darkness reign again. Let us, therefore, keep on igniting the fervor for defending human rights in the hearts of more and more people, and never let the fire die out from our own hearts,” she added.

De Lima's brother Vicente "Vicboy" de Lima II accepted the award on her behalf and read her speech during the ceremony for AI's first Ignite Awards for Human Rights. He was joined by De Lima's siblings Nonoy and Caroline, and her son Israel Bohol.

“As humbled and gratified as I am to receive this award, the real comfort that I could receive from it is in knowing that I am, by no means, alone in this fight. That there are many others and there are many more to come,” the senator said.

“So I call on my fellow human rights defenders, not just to keep on fighting for human rights, but to keep on igniting the fire of human rights in the hearts of others. For therein lies the true nature of what we are fighting for,” she added.

“On a personal note, this award proves to me that this detention facility is not where my freedom is lost; but where liberty is defended and the rule of law will someday be regained,” the senator said.

De Lima has been detained at the Camp Crame Custodial Center since February 2017 due to her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison during her term as Justice secretary.

The senator has denied allegations that she was the so-called "queen" of the illegal drug trade. —KG, GMA News