De Lima ready to be first 'political prisoner' under Duterte admin

Senator Leila de Lima on Friday said she has long prepared herself to be the first “political prisoner” under the Duterte administration for her staunch opposition to the government’s violent war on drugs.

De Lima said this in a statement after she was charged before the Muntinlupa Trial Court for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 over her alleged involvement in the Bilibid drug trade.

She said she already expected the filing of charges and that her lawyers will file the corresponding motions when the cases are raffled.

“I have long prepared myself to be the first political prisoner under this regime, because the criminal charges and prosecution are nothing less than a politically motivated act by the Duterte regime to clamp down on any vocal opposition against its support for a policy of EJK (extrajudicial killings) in dealing with suspected criminals,” she said.

De Lima sought a Senate probe on the alleged extrajudicial killings and summary executions in the country amid the Duterte administration's war on drugs, which has been blamed for the deaths of over 7,000 people, mostly drug suspects.

She said her impending arrest speaks of the wrong kind of change promised by President Rodrigo Duterte during his campaign.

“Perhaps my looming imprisonment based on false charges filed against me by the DOJ, while Janet Lim Napoles's release is being supported by the OSG, is the wakeup call that our country needs,” she said, referring to the move of the Solicitor General to have the alleged pork barrel scam queen acquitted over illegal detention charges.

“Change has, indeed, come, and it has come to devour our sense of justice and morality -- where right is turned to wrong, and wrong is made right,” the neophyte senator said.

De Lima said the fight continues for her despite her possible arrest, and that she sees her vindication before the court.

“If the loss of my freedom is the price I have to pay for standing up against the butchery of the Duterte regime, then it is a price I am willing to pay. But they are mistaken if they think my fight ends here. It has only begun,” De Lima said.

“This is the kind of vindictive politics that we only expect from this regime. Despite these fascist methods employed by this fascist regime, we will continue to fight this battle and wage our own war for human rights and democracy. In the end, justice will prevail and we will be vindicated,” she said.

Aguirre: No politics involved

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II denied politics was behind the filing of cases.

"Hindi ito produkto ng pulitika... Ako po ay hindi nakialam. Hindi po nila (investigating prosecutors) ito minadali. Hindi po totoong in-expedite ko raw para siya ay mapaaresto. Kung yan lang ang titignan ko ay ipina-file ko na agad 'to," he said in a press conference.

Aguirre also expressed confidence that the DOJ was able to build an airtight case to secure the conviction of De Lima and her co-accused.

"Hindi ito ifa-file ng National Prosecution Service kung walang probability na ito na siya ay mahatulan. Actually, naniniwala tayo na siya ay mahahatulan kasi nasa prosecution po tayo," he said.

De Lima earlier said she is packed and ready in case she is ordered arrested by the court. She said she already met with her family and staff, and prepared them for the “worst-case scenario.”

Last week, the Court of Appeals Special Sixth Division turned down a request from De Lima to stop the DOJ from deciding on the complaints against her, citing her alleged failure to show proof that she will suffer irreparable loss if her appeal is not granted.

De Lima is accused of tolerating the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison during her term as DOJ secretary. Her accusers said proceeds from the drug trade were used in her senatorial campaign in the 2016 elections. —with Virgil Lopez/KBK, GMA News