Philippine Senator Leila De Lima, one of Rodrigo Duterte's most vocal opponents, waves to supporters after appearing at a court in Muntinlupa City, suburban Manila, on Feb. 24, 2017. She was arrested the same day on charges supporters said were meant to silence her. (Photo: AFP)
The head of the Philippine bishops’ conference has called for the release of a jailed lawmaker and government critic on trial for alleged drugs offenses after a star witness recanted his testimony against her.
Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said it was never too late for Senator Leila de Lima to be freed now that the witness, Kerwin Espinosa, had recanted statements made to prosecutors.
De Lima, an outspoken critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, was arrested in 2017 after being linked to a drug trafficking scandal inside Manila’s biggest prison during her term as justice secretary.
She denied all charges, saying they were all concocted by Duterte in retaliation for her attacking his deadly war on drugs and spearheading investigations that have now been taken up by the International Criminal Court.
Espinosa, a self-confessed drug dealer, signed an affidavit late last week saying he fabricated all evidence against De Lima.
He also claimed government officials promised to drop charges against him for pointing the finger at De Lima but said they did not keep their promise.
“It is not only those who filed false charges against her who committed sin against God and the nation but also those who remained silent and acceded to judging her"
“Any statement made against the senator is false and was the result of pressure, coercion, intimidation and serious threats to my life and family members from the police who instructed me to implicate the senator in the illegal drug trade,” Espinosa said in the affidavit.
Bishop David said it was never too late for injustice not to be corrected in De Lima’s case as she was chosen by the people to be their representative.
“The serious injustice committed against Senator Leila De Lima is an injustice committed against the Filipino people. She was given a mandate by the electorate that voted for her, but she was prevented from carrying it out on account of trumped-up charges that have kept her in jail for the past five years. She has not even been allowed to participate online in Senate hearings,” Bishop David told UCA News.
Those who fabricated evidence against her committed a sin against God and betrayed public trust, he said.
“It is not only those who filed false charges against her who committed sin against God and the nation but also those who remained silent and acceded to judging her,” Bishop David added.
He lamented how justice could be negotiated in the Philippines like in the case of Espinosa who faced drug charges yet was promised the charges would disappear if he cooperated with the government.
Bishop David urged authorities to release De Lima and press charges against those who pressured Espinosa into concocting stories against her.
