Jailed Philippine human rights campaigner granted bail

Jailed Philippine human rights campaigner granted bail
Jailed Philippine human rights campaigner granted bail

Hello and welcome to the details of Jailed Philippine human rights campaigner granted bail and now with the details

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - This file photo taken on September 30, 2022 shows former Philippine senator and human rights campaigner Leila de Lima (centre) leaving after attending her hearing at the Muntinlupa Trial Court in Metro Manila. — AFP pic

MANILA, Nov 13 — Jailed Philippine human rights campaigner Leila de Lima has been granted bail, her lawyer said today, putting her a step closer to freedom after nearly seven years behind bars.

De Lima, one of the most outspoken critics of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his deadly anti-drug war, was jailed on narcotics-related charges she says were fabricated to silence her.

“Bail granted,” lawyer Filibon Tacardon said in a message sent to reporters.

Outside the court, Tacardon told AFP: “We’re ecstatic, happy. Ma’am (de Lima) cried.”

Advertisement

De Lima was in court when the bail decision was announced. It was not immediately clear when she would walk free.

De Lima, 64, is accused of taking money from inmates inside the largest prison in the Philippines to allow them to sell drugs while she was justice minister from 2010 to 2015.

Multiple witnesses, including prison gang bosses, died or recanted their testimonies, resulting in the dismissal of two of the three charges against de Lima.

Advertisement

Since President Ferdinand Marcos came into office last June there have been renewed calls from human rights groups, foreign diplomats and politicians for de Lima’s release.

While in jail she has suffered various health problems, including a pelvic organ prolapse that required surgery.

In October 2022, she was briefly taken hostage during an attempted breakout by three detained militants.

Before her arrest on February 24, 2017, de Lima had spent a decade investigating “death squad” killings allegedly orchestrated by Duterte during his time as Davao City mayor and in the early days of his presidency.

She conducted the probes while serving as the nation’s human rights commissioner, and then from 2010 to 2015 as justice minister in the Aquino administration that preceded Duterte’s rule.

After winning a Senate seat in the 2016 elections that also swept populist Duterte to power, de Lima became one of the few opposition voices.

Duterte then accused her of running a drug trafficking ring with criminals when she was justice secretary, forcing her from the Senate and into a jail cell.

De Lima lost her bid for re-election in May 2022 after campaigning from behind bars.

Duterte, who was constitutionally barred from seeking a second term as president, stepped down the following month.

Throughout the proceedings, de Lima has insisted the charges against her had been trumped up in retaliation for going after Duterte and his drug war that killed thousands of people. — AFP

These were the details of the news Jailed Philippine human rights campaigner granted bail for this day. We hope that we have succeeded by giving you the full details and information. To follow all our news, you can subscribe to the alerts system or to one of our different systems to provide you with all that is new.

It is also worth noting that the original news has been published and is available at Malay Mail and the editorial team at AlKhaleej Today has confirmed it and it has been modified, and it may have been completely transferred or quoted from it and you can read and follow this news from its main source.

NEXT US military raises alert level for Europe bases: reports

Author Information

I have been an independent financial adviser for over 11 years in the city and in recent years turned my experience in finance and passion for journalism into a full time role. I perform analysis of Companies and publicize valuable information for shareholder community. Address: 2077 Sharon Lane Mishawaka, IN 46544, USA Phone: (+1) 574-255-1083 Email: [email protected]