De Lima tells fellow lawyers: We should be champion of rights

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Leila de Lima on Friday urged fellow lawyers to operate under the rule of law and uphold human rights.

In a message of solidarity to the Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ Summit on Rule of Law, Access to Justice and Human Rights, De Lima said that the country’s justice system and observance of human rights are “under attack.”

“They are under attack by a person who preys upon the fears of our countrymen and uses the same fear to seize, consolidate and expand power,” she said, referring to President Rodrigo Duterte.

The detained senator said that Duterte’s supposed attack on dissent, threats to democratic institutions and culture of violence against the poor pose as a challenge to lawyers.

“This is indeed a challenge to us [..] to protect our countrymen against the abuses and excesses in the exercise of the awesome powers of the state, thus, ensuring that no matter how lowly and humble we are, every Filipino is assured of access to justice and guaranteed of respect for his or her human rights,” De Lima said.

She added: “We cannot just be victims of wrongs. We should be champions of rights.”

The senator was accused of protecting and coddling drug traders inside the New Bilibid Prision during her stint as Justice secretary.

De Lima, who has repeatedly denied the charges, is facing three counts of violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. 

She is currently detained at the police headquarters in Camp Crame.

Last year, Duterte vowed to “destroy” De Lima, who had ordered a Senate probe into the killings related to the government’s “war on drugs.”

He also said De Lima “will rot in jail” for accepting bribes from drug lords and allowing the proliferation of narcotics at the Bureau of Corrections.

READ: SC decision legitimizes political persecution, says De Lima