De Lima to Duterte: I’m already in jail, now do your job

Almost a week in detention, Senator Leila de Lima on Thursday said President Rodrigo Duterte should now focus on fulfilling his campaign promises after he succeded in having her jailed.

De Lima has been detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center since she surrendered to authorities on February 24 over drug-related charges.

“Ngayong naipakulong na ako ng Pangulo, simulan na kaya niyang magtrabaho at tuparin ang kanyang pangako sa Pilipino?” De Lima said in a statement.

De Lima stressed that she was innocent of the accusations, and that her detention was Duterte’s way of getting his revenge.

“Alam ko, at alam ng Panginoon ang totoo: Inosente ako. Ginagawa ko lang ang aking trabaho. Kahit malinaw na imbento lamang ang paratang sa akin, bakit nagagawa pa rin nilang basta baluktutin ang hustisya at ikubli ang totoo?” De Lima said.

“Walang ibang dahilan sa dinadanas kong ito kundi ang kagustuhan ng Pangulong Duterte na makaganti dahil sa galit niyang nag-ugat sa pag-imbestiga ko sa kanya noong Mayor pa siya, at sa patuloy kong pagtutol sa mga polisiya niyang lumalabag sa karapatang pantao,” she added.

De Lima was chair of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) when she launched an investigation into the alleged killings in Davao City by supposed vigilante group Davao Death Squad.

Duterte was the mayor of Davao City then.

De Lima had also been vocal in opposing Duterte’s bloody war on drugs, citing the thousands of killings since he assumed office.

The senator, however, said that she would rather be jailed than keep quiet about the rampant drug-related killings.

“Kung mananahimik lang ako, hinayaan ko na rin ang rehimeng ito na ibilang ako sa mahigit pitong libo nating kababayan na pinaslang ng madugong kampanya laban sa droga,” De Lima said.

“Wala mang katiyakan ang aking kapalaran ngayon, hindi magbabago: Karangalan kong makulong sa ngalan ng aking prinsipyo—alang-alang sa hustisya at katotohanan,” she added. —NB, GMA News