House Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Representative Leila de Lima on Tuesday reflected on the ninth anniversary of her arrest and detention on February 24, 2017, calling it a moment she can “never forget.”
“Woke up today feeling the weight of an anniversary I can never forget—the day of my arrest and most unjust detention, nine years ago, in 2017,” De Lima said.
“Grateful to be free and vindicated now, but the memory still holds its silence within me,” she added.
De Lima was jailed over three drug-related cases filed during the Duterte administration, all of which were eventually dismissed. She expressed gratitude to supporters, saying her return to public service was guided by faith.
“Sa lahat po ng aking mga nakasama at patuloy na sumusuporta, maraming salamat po… itinuturing ko itong kalooban ng Diyos at isa pang pagkakataon para higit pang makapagsilbi sa kapwa,” she said.
Addressing online critics, De Lima vowed not to be intimidated.
“Sa mga trolls… sorry na lang. Mas pinalalakas pa ninyo ang loob ko at mas binibigyan pa ako ng dahilan kung bakit kailangang magpatuloy sa laban para sa nakararami, para sa nararapat,” she declared.
The former Justice Secretary urged the public to remain committed to principles and continue advocating for victims of extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses.
“Tuloy ang laban para sa mga nasa laylayan… Tuloy ang laban para sa kalayaan ng mga bilanggong politikal. Tuloy ang laban para sa katotohanan. Tuloy ang laban para sa pananagutan at responsableng pamahalaan,” she said.