Opposition senator Leila de Lima said she would seek reelection in the 2022 national elections, noting how the political persecution she has been subjected to only strengthened her resolve to fight for her advocacies.
She said her unjust detention only pushed her to work harder to fight against injustice and defend human rights at all cost, which prompted her to seek reelection.
In a letter addressed to President Rodrigo Duterte ahead of his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 26, De Lima scored the chief executive for “failing to fulfill all of his campaign promises, particularly on issues involving illegal drugs, corruption, the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and economy.”
“Many are asking me where my strength is coming from to still have the guts to run for senator in 2022, despite my ego being trampled. But I am firm in saying that I will still run, the fight continues,” De Lima said.
“Time will come that I will be vindicated will all false allegations thrown upon me, just like one of the three cases I am facing at court. These will be surely junked by the court of law as well,” she added.
The senator has been detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center since 2017 for drug-related charges that she has consistently denied.
