Solicitor General Jose Calida has assured that detained Senator Leila de Lima is not a victim of political persecution with regards to the drug charges filed against her.
“Senator Leila de Lima’s case is not tainted with any element of political persecution,” said Calida in a statement.
“The charges against her only manifest the government’s political will to go against narco-politicians regardless of rank and stature,” he explained.
De Lima is facing three drug charges before the Muntinlupa City regional trial court in connection with the proliferation of the illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
During hearings conducted by the House of Representatives Committee on Justice on the matter, high-profile inmates including convicted kidnapper Jaybee Sebastian, that they were asked by De Lima to fund her senatorial campaign using their earnings in the narcotics trade amounting to millions of pesos.
However, De Lima, who is currently detained at the Custodial Center of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camp Crame, Quezon City, claimed that the criminal charges filed against her was meant to shut her public criticisms against President Duterte. (Jeffrey G. Damicog)