De Lima identifies ‘persecutors’ who should be denied US visas

Nearing her 1,000th day of most unjust detention (960th on Friday, October 11), Senator Leila M. De Lima draws everyone’s attention with her composed and dignified demeanor as she arrives at the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court to attend the resumption of hearing on the fake illegal drug charges filed against her by the vindictive Duterte regime. | Senate photo

SENATOR Leila De Lima on Thursday, October 17, listed the names of the people behind her detention in 2017 at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center after two American senators proposed to deny U.S. visas to those supposedly responsible for her imprisonment.

De Lima, who is a staunch critic of President Rodrigo Duterte’s war against illegal drugs, denied the drug charges against her, claiming that the charges were politically-motivated.

On September 27, U.S. Senators Richard Durbin and Patrick Leahy proposed an amendment that seeks to ban the entry into the U.S. of Philippine government officials involved in the “politically-motivated” detention of De Lima.

The amendment was adopted at the Committee level.

According to De Lima, Durbin and Leahy would not stake their names and reputations if they did not believe in her innocence and causes.

“It will not be presumptuous to assume that these U.S. senators must have verified the information they received about my situation with key agencies of the U.S. government i.e., the U.S. State Department, the Central Intelligence Agency, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, and even the U.S. Embassy here,” she said.

Included in the officials De Lima identified to be behind her alleged political persecution are Duterte and Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, who failed to advise the President that violating her human rights and depriving her of her freedom are abuses offensive to justice and humanity.

“My persecution started with a daily public media demolition by none other than Duterte, using all his powers as President. This was followed by a vicious social media campaign conducted by DDS (Duterte diehard supporters) trolls, led by Duterte sycophants Mocha Uson, Sass Rogando Sasot, and RJ Nieto,” she said.

“Then came the House (of Representatives) investigation where criminal convicts were induced to testify against me in exchange for prison privileges and immunity, if not presidential pardon, as led by former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, former DoJ (Department of Justice) secretary Vitaliano Aguirre, Solicitor General Jose Calida, PAO (Public Attorney’s Office) Chief Persida Acosta, Sandra Cam, Dante Jimenez, Congressmen Rey Umali and Rudy Fariñas,” De Lima added. 

Ritchel Mendiola

Ritchel Mendiola is a staff writer and reporter for the Asian Journal. You can reach her at [email protected].

11 Comments
  1. You can mention.anyone great mistress senator. Nobody will believe you here in the Philippines. Except your party mates.

  2. What happened to Senator De Lima is pure political persecution. The psychopath president is hell-bent on silencing his critics. There is no probable cause in the case against De Lima because the complainants have failed to point out where the bribe money De Lima allegedly took are. In addition, testimonies from convicted criminals do not hold water. Moreover, a leaked document from the BuCor showed that the criminals who testified against the senator are receiving special privileges in jail. They are obviously being rewarded for their testimonies. This is a huge blow to their credibility. A senator brave enough to criticize the rampant corruption, human rights violation and excessive abuse of authority is in jail while the serial-killing, drug-abusing Murderer-in-Chief Idiot30 enjoys immunity from lawsuits. Shame.

  3. Perhaps, out of courtesy, Senator de Lima omitted some of her fellow senators who are responsible for her current ordeal. Led by Senator Panfilo Lacson, the original conspirator against her. Others are senators Richard Gordon, Tito Sotto, et al.

  4. The Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention gave their opinion in 2018 that De Lima had been Arbitrarily Detained, should be released and compensated.
    The Phillipine Government (Duterte) who had the burden of proof did not offer any evidence to rebut Dr Limas claims. They did not respond to the opinion of the WGA, and failed to disseminate it widely as required.

  5. Duterte is afraid of De Lima. She was the one who investigated his Davao death Dquad.no drugs werefound even a single sachet. These people must put behind bars like what they did to the senator

  6. Salamat po sa iyong katapangan at katatagan Sen. de Lima. Sa mga taong nagsasabi na walang naniniwala sa iyo ay mali po sila.

  7. These 2 US senators are interfering with the political affair of a duly constituted government. As has been repeatedly uttered by our President, he has no intention to go to the US neither now nor in the future. And that the Philippines is no longer a colony of the United States o America. These 2 US senators want the Philippines to remain a drug den country.

  8. We saw you danced at the bilibid ms senator! We saw your sex scandal with a married man! We saw you sing at the bilibid! All because of frialities of a woman! You kidnapped pgma in the airport now it is time for you to rot in jail

  9. Criticizing human rights violations is NOT interfering with the political affairs of the country. This kind of idiotic opinion is being peddled by Duterte and his stupid bunch of DDS followers. IF the US and allies in World War II followed this, then Hitler would have killed more millions and conquered the whole of Europe and the free world. This is the kind of fascist reasoning the dictators always use to justify their total disregard for human rights. DUTERTE is a brutal fascist dictator that has already killed around 29, 000 people and he must be stopped.

  10. The ban to certain personalities initiated by 2 US senators is not an act to interfere on Philippine laws… it is not directed to the Philippine as a Nation but only to certain personality whom they think should not be allowed to enter their country ..

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