A Philippine court has acquitted former Senator Leila de Lima of the final drug charges against her, marking a significant legal victory for the prominent critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte. De Lima had been incarcerated for over six years following her investigation into Duterte’s controversial anti-drug campaign.
De Lima was a vocal opponent of Duterte’s “war on drugs,” which began in 2016 and resulted in the deaths of thousands of alleged drug users and dealers, often in encounters with police. Critics, including de Lima, accused the police of carrying out extrajudicial killings, while authorities claimed they acted in self-defense.
In 2017, amid her inquiries into the drug war, de Lima was charged with drug trafficking. Duterte’s administration alleged that she had colluded with drug gangs during her tenure as justice minister from 2010 to 2015, claims she consistently denied.
On Monday, the court dismissed the last of three drug charges against de Lima, citing insufficient evidence. The former senator, visibly relieved, addressed reporters outside the southern Manila courtroom, stating, “I am now completely free and vindicated. It’s very liberating.”
She expressed her gratitude on social media, saying, “My heart is full with all the love pouring in today after the dismissal of all my cases.” De Lima had previously been released on bail in November 2022, after being acquitted of the other two drug charges earlier.
The most recent case concerned allegations that de Lima accepted money from inmates at the country’s largest prison in exchange for allowing them to continue drug operations. This charge could have resulted in a life sentence if she had been convicted.
Amnesty International hailed the court’s decision as a long-overdue rectification, describing the charges against de Lima as “bogus.” The organization highlighted her ordeal of nearly seven years of detention and persistent political persecution.
De Lima’s arrest in 2017, while she was serving as a senator, was widely criticized by human rights advocates who saw it as a retaliatory move against her opposition to Duterte’s policies.
The former president, Duterte, who concluded his term in 2022, is currently under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged human rights abuses related to his anti-drug campaign. De Lima has pledged to continue her cooperation with the ICC’s investigation into these matters.
With her legal battles behind her, de Lima has indicated her intention to support ongoing efforts to seek justice for victims of the drug war. Her acquittal has renewed attention on the broader implications of Duterte’s anti-drug campaign and the rule of law in the Philippines.
The court’s decision to drop the charges against de Lima marks a pivotal moment in her long legal struggle and raises critical questions about the judicial process and political retribution in the Philippines. De Lima’s case underscores the challenges faced by critics of powerful political figures and the resilience required to contest controversial government policies.
