De Lima thanks Recto over call for her release, Poe for speaking up on injustice vs. her

Outgoing Senator Leila de Lima on Friday extended her gratitude to Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto over his valedictory speech calling for her release and Senator Grace Poe for speaking up on the "injustice" against her.

In a letter to Recto, De Lima said she was "moved and humbled" by his plea for President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to free her.

“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.

“You are right, Sen. Ralph. No prison walls could contain me; so is justice and my determination to see my full vindication,” De Lima went on.

On the last session day of the 18th Congress, Recto issued the call to Marcos while he gave tribute to each senator of the 18th Congress through anecdotes.

"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," Recto said.

"Mr. President-elect, free Leila," he added.

Apart from Recto, De Lima also sent a letter to Poe thanking the latter for the kind words she shared in her farewell speech for the outgoing senators last Tuesday.

“Thank you [Sen. Grace Poe] for openly recognizing the injustice that has befallen me,” De Lima said in her letter.

In her speech, Poe said the eight outgoing senators will "leave a void" in the upper chamber.

“Beginning with the lady behind bars, but who keeps on fighting the good fight,” Poe said in her speech, referring to De Lima.

“Senator Leila is unbroken, but her incarceration is proof that our justice system is broken,” she added.

De Lima assured Poe that she will continue to fight for the truth and justice, adding that she looks forward to working with her on their shared causes.

"Indeed, departures always leave an irreplaceable void. I will miss the Senate and will always remain amazed by the magnitude of our duty and grateful for the opportunity to have served, albeit under a less than ideal environment given my situation," De Lima said.

“But this is not goodbye, Sen. Grace. Tuloy ang laban natin para sa katotohanan at hustisya (We will continue fighting for truth and justice). I look forward to continue working with you on our shared causes,” she added.

De Lima, a fierce critic of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte and his deadly war on drugs, was jailed in February 2017 on allegations that she was part of the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison during her stint as Justice secretary under the Aquino administration.

Despite being incarcerated, De Lima decided to seek re-election in the 2022 national and local polls.

However, the opposition senator failed to make it to the Magic 12. She landed on the 23rd spot with 7,224,492 votes.—AOL, GMA News