De Lima visits Manaoag Church a day after being granted bail

Former Senator Leila de Lima visited the Manaoag Church in Pangasinan on Tuesday, a day after she was released on bail after nearly seven years in detention.

According to GMA Regional TV One North Central Luzon’s Jasmin Gabriel Galban, De Lima arrived at the the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag at around 9:45 a.m.

De Lima went inside the church and prayed for 10 minutes.

According to De Lima, she has been looking forward to visiting Manaoag to fulfill her promise to visit the Virgin Mary’s shrine once she is released from detention.

“I was dissuaded to come here for security reasons. Iniyakan ko sila (I cried). I practically begged. Sabi ko (I said): No, no, I can't break my promise,” she said.

De Lima was released from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City on Monday night after posting bail.

The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 206 granted her motion for reconsideration on her bail petition in her remaining drug case.

She said that while pursuing counter-charges against those behind her detention for drug charges is always an option, she is still discussing with her lawyers about definite plans to do so.

De Lima hoped God would “forgive” and “bless” President Rodrigo Duterte when asked for her message to the chief executive.

Meanwhile, the former senator said she wants to spend time with her family first before taking her next steps. 

“Hindi nga ako masyadong nakatulog. Two hours nga lang ata ‘yung tulog ko. Naninibago pa ako. Nami-miss ko ‘yung aking detention cell at saka ‘yung mga pusa ko roon,” de Lima said in a “24 Oras” report. 

(I cannot sleep last night.  My body has yet to adjust. I miss my detention cell and my cats there.)

“Isa diyan siyempre ‘yung pagbalik ko sa law practice and pagbalik ko rin sa teaching sa law school. But always whatever will be the next calling. Hindi po ako hihinto sa pagtulong ng aking core advocacies,” she said.

(One of the things I am considering is returning to law practice and teaching law. But always whatever will be the next calling. I will not stop pursuing my core advocacies.)

She has been detained in Camp Crame since February 2017 during Duterte’s term over allegations of drug trade, which she has repeatedly denied.

Her first acquittal came in February 2021 when the Muntinlupa City RTC Branch 205 junked one of her three cases.

The Muntinlupa RTC Branch 204 on May 12 acquitted De Lima and Dayan, her co-accused and former bodyguard, of an illegal drug trading charge on the grounds of reasonable doubt. 

In October 2022, De Lima also survived a hostage-taking inside the Custodial Center. —VAL, GMA Integrated News