“The pursuit of justice continues,” said human rights lawyer Leila De Lima, who was imprisoned and targeted by the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte for exposing human rights violations in the so-called “war on drugs.”
The former senator welcomed Duterte’s arrest for crimes against humanity, following a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“Today, Duterte is being made to answer—not to me, but to the victims, to their families, to a world that refuses to forget,” De Lima said.
“This is not about vengeance. This is about justice finally taking its course,” she added.
In 2017, De Lima surrendered to authorities when her arrest warrant was served. A vocal critic of Duterte, she was accused of orchestrating a drug-trafficking ring during her tenure as justice secretary from 2010 to 2015.
“For almost seven years, I was imprisoned on fabricated charges, accused of crimes I did not commit—all because I dared to speak out against Duterte’s drug war. While I was behind bars, thousands of Filipinos were killed without justice, their families left to grieve with no answers, no accountability,” De Lima said.
She was only acquitted in 2024, with all charges against her dismissed.
“Duterte now has to answer for his actions, not in the court of public opinion, but before the rule of law. This is how justice should work—those in power must be held to the same standards as everyone else,” De Lima said.
“To those who have fought this long and difficult fight—your voices mattered, your courage mattered, and today, the pursuit of justice continues,” she added.