FRIDAY’S arrest of Sen. Leila de Lima is based on flimsy charges and a product of political harassment, Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo declared Friday, as Catholic bishops called on the Duterte government

 to give the embattled lawmaker a fair shake.

Robredo, titular head of the Liberal Party that fielded de Lima in the May 2016 senatorial race, issued the statement moments after the former Justice secretary surrendered to authorities as a result of the warrant of arrest issued against her by the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court over drug trafficking chargers.

“The arrest of Senator Leila de Lima is the latest move in a persistent campaign of political harassment being waged against a duly elected member of Congress. These efforts to smear Senator de Lima are a strong indication that the charges against her arise from a political agenda and are not the result of an independent, unbiased legal process,” Robredo said in a statement.

Robredo recalled that efforts to harass de Lima began when the senator, as chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice, launched an investigation into extrajudicial killings under the Duterte administration.

“With contradicting testimonies from criminals as basis of the case, they circumvented due process to fast-track the issuance of the arrest warrant. Our history as a nation is marred by instances where government officials use the processes of criminal justice to cow, silence, and eliminate critics. We cannot, and we must not, stand by and let this happen again,” Robredo said.

“We exhort the people to follow and scrutinize this case religiously,” Robredo added.

 Malacañang denied claims de Lima was being subjected to political persecution.

In a chance interview, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea insisted de Lima’s arrest was not politically motivated as a criminal case had been filed against her.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo likewise said de Lima is not a political prisoner because there was basis for her arrest.

“She is not a political prisoner. She will become a detainee pursuant to a warrant of arrest arising from a criminal charge against her,” Panelo said.

De Lima’s situation, he pointed out, was not a culmination of a political vendetta, unlike what happened to former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who was detained by the Aquino government in 2011.

“What they did to Arroyo, that was political vendetta because no case was filed against her. That is the real political vendetta,” he said.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Friday appealed to the Duterte government to give de Lima due process.

“Let all who have been charged be accorded their fair day in the court of laws,” said CBCP President and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas in a pastoral letter.

“As we deplore what is wrong, let us always allow the reign of charity to prevail in imitation of Christ in whose heart was a special love for those whom all else rejected. Mercy without justice is weakness. Justice without love is tyranny,” Villegas added.

“It is unchristian to find secret pleasure in the sufferings of others. May we recognize in ourselves the awful power of sin and our need for God’s help! We need the Lord even more now!” Villegas said. “I pray for the healing of our land and for the reign of harmony.”

De Lima was among the thousands who showed up at a prayer rally called by the Church at Rizal Park last February 18 to protests summary killings and the death penalty bill.

Some of de Lima’s Senate colleagues branded as baseless and illegal the lawmaker’s arrest, saying it was the beginning of the slow death of democracy and the rule of law in the country.

“It is condemnable that the administration railroads rules and processes for political vendetta. At the very least, the administration must show good faith and guarantee Senator de Lima’s safety and security,” said Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino 4th.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said that the arrest of de Lima could set a dangerous precedent. “By stopping at nothing to persecute Senator Leila, the state sends a chilling message to all—political dissent under this administration will not be tolerated. All those who will oppose will be destroyed,” she said.

Senator Antonio Trillanes 4th defended de Lima against what he described was “plunderer and murderer” President.

“The primary objective of the illegal arrest of Sen. De Lima is to send a chilling message to the political opposition and critics,” said Trillanes. </s> Manila: Senator Leila De Lima was detained in a jail at the headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Metro Manila’s suburban Quezon City after her arrest from the Senate for three drug-related cases.

The legislator is being accused of protecting convicted international and local drug lords from 2010 to 2016, when she was justice secretary, to raise millions of pesos for her senatorial bid with the Liberal Party in the May 2016 polls.

“A motion to quash the case against de Lima and question jurisdiction of a lower court in suburban Muntinlupa on her case, were filed, resolutions of which would take days,” said her lawyer Bonifacio Tacardon, adding they will raise the same issue in the Supreme Court.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre alleged the government had “thwarted plans” of pro-De Lima factions to offer P100 million (Dh8.3 million) to eight convicted international and local drug lords to officially recant their testimonies against De Lima — on February 25 — before the 31st anniversary of the people-backed military mutiny that ousted former president Ferdinand Marcos in 1986.”

“The retraction of testimonies would be used by people supporting De Lima to join another people-power to oust President Rodrigo Duterte. If the revolution wins, all high profile inmates who recanted their testimonies will be released from prison: that was promised to them,” said Aguirre in a TV interview. Their earlier testimonies at the senate nailed de Lima’s alleged involvement in illegal narcotics trade.

After emerging from the Senate where she was arrested at eight Friday morning, De Lima said, “I have the honour to be imprisoned for something I’m fighting for [questioning alleged human rights violation of President Duterte]. I am innocent. There is no truth to the lies I am charged with — that I benefited from illegal drug trade. The truth will come out at the right time.”

Senator Francis Pangilinan, president of the Liberal Party that was once led by former President Aquino, said, “The LP is not involved in any bribe-giving of witnesses. This is ridiculous.”

“Sen. De Lima has accepted her current situation. She has realised that this is a process that she has to go through. She’s OK, she’s holding up and well, she’s a very courageous woman and very strong-willed. We’re here to lend our moral support for her,” said Pangilinan.

Government’s chief legal counsel, Salvador Panelo also said, “She is now given the opportunity to refute any and all allegations and/or evidence to be presented by the prosecution against her.”

But former whistle blower Sandra Cam called De Lima a coward and held a protest rally in front of the Senate when De Lima went there to hide and evade arrest late Thursday.

While in hiding at the Senate, De Lima confessed, “I feel less safe if arrested in the evening. I will stay here in the Senate and wait for the sun to rise.” Arresting officers arrived at the office of the Senate Sargeant- at-Arms at 11 Thursday evening,

At the time, Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Interior Secretary Ismael “Mike” Sueno agreed that De Lima should be arrested at eight Friday morning.

De Lima was the highest official ever indicted for alleged involvement in illegal drug trade, Duterte said, adding that lawmakers, local government officials, and top ranking policemen are protecting international and local drug lords.

De Lima has led local and international rights groups in criticising Duterte’s campaign against illegal drug trade which has killed more than 7,700 since July. Because of irregularities, Duterte barred the police from the campaign. The police admitted responsibility for 2,500 deaths, and blamed drug syndicates for the rest of the fatalities.

Illegal drug trade has reached $4.8 billion a year in the Philippines in 2013, authorities said. </s> In this Feb. 13, 2017 photo, Philippine Sen. Leila de Lima takes her seat during a session in the Philippine Senate in suburban Pasay city, south of Manila, Philippines. Philippine justice secretary said Friday, Feb. 17, 2017, criminal charges have been filed against the opposition senator allegedly receiving money from detained drug lords in a move that can lead to the arrest of one of the president's most vocal critics.

Start the conversation, or Read more at SFGate. </s> Opposition Senator Leila de Lima is escorted by Senate security to address the media after a warrant for her arrest was issued by a regional trial court Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, in suburban Pasay city, south of Manila, Philippines. The Philippine court has issued an arrest warrant on drug charges for the senator and former top human rights official who is one of the most vocal critics of President Rodrigo Duterte and his deadly crackdown on illegal drugs. De Lima has vehemently denied the charges, which she says are part of Duterte's attempt to intimidate critics of his crackdown, which has left more than 7,000 drug suspects dead.

Manila: A Philippine court on Thursday issued an arrest order for combative Senator Leila de Lima, in connection with allegations that she received drug money from an influential prison syndicate.

Judge Juanita Guerero, of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204, ordered the arrest of De Lima, who on Thursday afternoon remained holed up in her locked office at the Senate building in Pasay City.

Aside from the De Lima, also ordered arrested were Rafael Ragos and Ronnie Dayan who are respectively a close aide and personal driver of the senator.

“After a careful evaluation of the herein information and all the evidence presented during the preliminary investigation conducted in this case by the Department of Justice, Manila, the court finds sufficient probable cause for the issuance of warrants of arrest against Leila M. de Lima, Rafael Marcos Z. Ragos and Ronnie Palisoc Dayan,” the court order states.

De Lima and her aides are being accused of violating the law against drugs, particularly Section 5 of the Dangerous Drugs Act.

This particular law deems as illegal the “sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution and transportation of illegal drugs,” and prescribes a punishment of imprisonment from a minimum of 12 years to life imprisonment and payment of fine from 500,000 pesos to 10 million pesos (Dh36,502 to Dh730,043).

The arrest order was issued after the Department of Justice last week charged De Lima, who was justice secretary until last year, with accepting money from high-profile drug syndicates in exchange for allowing the jailed felons to conduct their business even while in prison.

De Lima is known to be close to former President Benigno Aquino III and is an active member of his political organisation, the Liberal Party (LP).

Meanwhile, incumbent Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre alleged that a former senator and an incumbent member of the House of Representatives, who is with the LP, had tried to bribe high profile inmates who have direct knowledge on De Lima’s acceptance of protection money during the time she was justice secretary.

Aguirre said the information held by national penitentiary New Bilibid Prisons inmates Vicenty Sy, JoJo Baligad Herbert Colanggo, Engelberto Aceñas Dureno, and Wu Tuan Yuan or Peter Co could pin down De Lima on allegations that she was providing protection to the six high profile inmates who were allegedly involved in running a drug distribution ring under the noses of jail authorities.

“We have information that the first offer to the inmates was made on Wednesday afternoon. It was made by a former senator and an incumbent Congressman of the Liberal Party in the Province of Laguna. The inmates were told that they have to recant before February 25, 2017,” according to Aguirre. </s> Senator and vocal critic of President Duterte faces drug trafficking charges related to her term as a justice secretary.

A Philippines senator and staunch critic of President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs has been arrested by law enforcement agents after charges were filed in court alleging she received money from drug dealers inside the country's prisons.

Senator Leila de Lima is accused of orchestrating a drug trafficking ring when she was justice secretary during the 2010-2015 administration of Benigno Aquino.

"The truth will come out and I will achieve justice. I am innocent," she told reporters shortly before law enforcers escorted her away from her office on Friday.

De Lima, her former driver and bodyguard and a former national prison official were ordered to be arrested by a local court on Thursday after a judge found merit in criminal charges filed by the Department of Justice last week.

De Lima has denied the charges, calling herself a victim of political persecution and saying she has long prepared herself to be the first "political prisoner" under the Duterte administration.

"While the issuance of the warrant of arrest is questionable, I do not have any plans to evade it," she said, calling the order premature as the court has yet to hear the response from her lawyers.

READ MORE: Duterte accused of paying police to kill

She slept in her Senate office overnight then gave herself up to armed officers in flak jackets who put her in a van and drove into morning rush hour traffic apparently towards police headquarters.

Duterte, 71, won a presidential election last year after promising during the campaign to eradicate drugs in society by killing tens of thousands of people.

Since his inauguration on June 30, an anti-drug drive has seen more than 7,000 people killed over suspected drug links - with over 60 percent of the deaths carried out by unknown assassins.

De Lima has previously called for foreign intervention to put an end to the "state-inspired" extrajudicial murders, which she said have been instigated by Duterte since his election to power.

De Lima also led a series of Senate investigations over allegations that police officers were involved in the killings, and that hired killers were operating under orders from police.

De Lima's supporters also insist she is innocent, and that the charges are trumped up to silence one of Duterte's most prominent critics.

In a statement to Al Jazeera, Senator Paolo Aquino condemned the "political persecution" of his fellow opposition Senate member.

"This arrest is purely political vendetta and has no place in justice system that upholds the rule of law. This is condemnable.

"We reiterate that an arrest based on trumped-up charges is illegal," he said citing the "haste" in de Lima's arrest.

De Lima previously claimed she was targeted because of her criticism of Duterte's drug war policy.

During her time as head of the country's human rights body, de Lima also led the investigation into the alleged extrajudicial killings of an estimated 1,000 drug suspects in Davao, while Duterte was mayor of the city.

When Duterte won as president in 2016, his feud with de Lima continued.

At one point he called on her to "hang herself", after he ordered prosecutors to investigate the senator's alleged links to the drug syndicate.

This week, de Lima branded the president a "sociopathic serial killer" after new allegations surfaced accusing Duterte of ordering drug killings in Davao. </s> LENI Robredo is making a scene. She is accusing the President and Bongbong Marcos of plotting to steal the vice presidency from her.

She is saying this after she was constructively dismissed from the Cabinet. She resigned after being told

 through text, upon instructions of the President, to desist from attending Cabinet meetings.

There are several angles being floated around on the real reason of her departure from the Cabinet.

There are those who say she was dismissed for being a non-performer. Others point out the irreconcilable differences that she had with the President and her very vocal opposition to his stand on many issues, including the burial of Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, the war on drugs, the President’s attack on Senator Leila de Lima, and the planned restoration of the death penalty.

Yet, there are also those who floated the intrigue that she was leaking confidential information discussed during Cabinet meetings, and that she refused to cooperate in the investigation of the Yolanda housing anomalies.

 But the most eyebrow-raising is her allegation that there are attempts to steal the vice presidency from her.

She is presenting herself as being the object of political harassment, a target of a sinister plot to oust her as Vice President and replace her with Bongbong Marcos. Her supporters and partymates at the Liberal Party are quick to deploy as a battle cry the hashtag #ProtectLeni and #DefendDemocracy, even as they once again paint the return of the Marcoses to power as the convenient bogeyman.

But it is perhaps important for us to ask Leni Robredo this question: How exactly do you steal the vice presidency?

To allege stealing a position presupposes that it will be through extra-constitutional means.

However, it could never be by a coup, since such usually targets the head of state or government, and not his spare tire. In fact, it is even more plausible for a Vice President from the opposition ranks like Mrs. Robredo, to be the one to plot and steal the presidency, and not the other way around.

The only way Mrs. Robredo can lose her seat is through constitutional means.

She can be unseated through impeachment. However, as of now, there is no ground to impeach her considering that a less than stellar performance at the HUDCC is not an impeachable offense. Her political difference with the President, as long as only expressed but not used to undermine him, does not constitute betrayal of public trust or treason.

She could however lose her seat through an electoral protest.

Bongbong Marcos has filed an electoral protest against her, and the case is now with the Supreme Court, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, or PET. Marcos has alleged massive electoral fraud during the May 2016 elections, where he claimed to have been a victim of a combination of electronic and conventional forms of cheating.

Marcos alleges that the existence of the illegal fourth server, which was admitted even by Smartmatic, together with traditional methods of pre-shading of ballots that allegedly happened in many areas in the ARMM, may have enabled Mrs. Robredo to steal his votes from him.

Evidence suggests statistically improbable zero-votes for all other candidates except for the Liberal Party tandem of Roxas and Robredo in many areas in the country, particularly in the ARMM. There was also a suspiciously high level of under-votes for vice president, leading one to suspect a more sinister electronic tampering of results.

But all of these are allegations that still need to be proven in a proper proceeding. The camp of Bongbong Marcos has already submitted thousands of pages of evidence to back his allegations, and these have yet to be appreciated by the PET. A recount has not yet been ordered, and when commenced, would take a long time in a proceeding which will be open to all parties, and where Mrs. Robredo’s lawyers would be present.

Thus, it is totally irresponsible for Mrs. Robredo to accuse President Duterte, or his allies, working with Bongbong Marcos, to steal the vice presidency. Raising this amounts to a frontal attack on the PET, as it would impugn the integrity of its members, and the whole process.

The camp of Mrs. Robredo has already floated irresponsible allegations in social media. Several days ago, Robredo partisans already made accusations that Governor Imee Marcos had a meeting with two unidentified Supreme Court justices abroad.

Mrs. Robredo has to be reminded that being unseated through an electoral protest is not stealing. On the contrary, it makes her the thief of a post that is not supposed to be hers.

She has to realize that the best way to defend democracy is to stop undermining it by casting aspersions on democratic institutions and processes, and for her to support the recount. Only a recount would tell us if the vice presidency is rightfully hers, or was indeed stolen, not by Bongbong Marcos, but by her. </s> MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine officials say that an opposition senator and leading critic of the president’s deadly anti-drug crackdown has been arrested on drug charges.

The arrest comes a day after the Regional Trial Court in Muntinlupa city in the Manila metropolis issued the warrant for the arrest of Sen. Leila de Lima and other officials who have been charged by Department of Justice prosecutors with receiving bribes from detained drug lords.

De Lima has denied the charges, which she said were part of an attempt by President Rodrigo Duterte to muzzle critics of his crackdown, which has left more than 7,000 drug suspects dead. She questioned why the court suddenly issued the arrest order when it was scheduled Friday to hear her petition to void the three non-bailable charges. </s> Senator of the Philippines, Leila de Lima, was arrested earlier today on charges that she received bribes from convicted drug traffickers, a charge which she has denied, and said is a case of “political persecution.” Ms. de Lima is described as “the leading domestic critic” of President Rodrigo Duterte and his Philippine drug war by the New York Times.

Amnesty International has written a report on 59 “extrajudicial executions” since the war began, entitled “The police’s murderous war on the poor.”

In 2016, a self-reported Duterte assassin appeared before de Lima at a Senate panel headed by the 57-year-old politician. A retired police officer was said to have given a similar account, scant days ago. In early August, Leila de Lima stated “We cannot wage the war against drugs with blood. We will be trading drug addiction with another more malevolent kind of addiction,” in a Senate speech, as reported by the Inquirer.

In September, de Lima, a former chair of the Philippine Commission on Human Rights, was removed from serving as justice secretary and chair of the Philippine Senate, after President Duterte alleged that the she was having a romantic affair with Ronnie Dayan, who was employed as a bodyguard and driver, and that the two were involved in accepting payments from those involved in drug trafficking for protection. Dayan has testified that he “collected money on the senator’s behalf.”

Duterte has referred to de Lima as “immoral” and suggested that she take her own life. A NSFW YouTube video, published in August, shows the Philippine president mimicking the senator.

After remaining in her office, where she has immunity, for a period on Thursday, the senator stated that she intended to say goodbye to members of her family, and indicated that she will likely turn herself in. Police were expected to move to detain her Thursday evening.

“I have no intention to flee or hide,” de Lima was quoted by the Times. “I will face these charges.”

Leila de Lima is reported to have admitted to having an affair with her bodyguard, as reported by GMA News Online. She has continued to profess her innocence with regard to any connection to drug trafficking, as reported by CNN.

Chief legal adviser for Duterte, Salvador Panelo, said that de Lima should welcome the “opportunity to refute any and all the allegations and/or evidence” that will be presented in the proceedings against her. Duterte has said that de Lima needs to “face the music.”

In addition to Ronnie Dayan’s testimony that he accepted payments on behalf of Senator de Lima, prisoners at a facility controlled by her Justice Department, have been “directly linked” to the former secretary. De Lima claims that the prisoners were “pressured” to give testimony against her and that Duterte and his administration have an “‘ax’ to grind with her.”

A raid conducted on the maximum security portion of the New Bilibid Prison, located in Muntinlupa, was conducted under Leila de Lima’s leadership. The result of the operation were revelations of “high-profile” prisoners living “luxurious” lives. The same prisoners are now included in those who have given testimony against her.

The Liberal Party of the Philippines issued a statement calling the issuing of the warrants a “political vendetta” and citing a belief that the charges should have been addressed in an anti-corruption court. The party stated that it is concerned for “Ms. de Lima’s life,” as a result of a Philippine mayor, accused of drug trafficking by Duterte, being slain in his jail cell after police officers reported that the mayor had “pulled a gun” on them during a search. </s> Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo on Friday called on President Rodrigo Duterte to help the poor by focusing on the war against poverty and to lead the country in respecting human rights.

Speaking in a forum hosted by the UP School of Economics where she earned her Bachelor’s degree, Robredo said that the Philippines cannot be saved by “false prophets of change who claim that they are the people’s last hope.”

“Poverty is the real problem, but we are distracted by political agenda and ambition. Mr. President, we call you to task. In behalf of the Filipino people, whose daily struggles are escalating, we ask you to focus on the war that really matters: the war on poverty. Our people are hungry, jobless and poor,” the Vice President said.

“Please use your leadership to point the nation towards respect for rule of law, instead of disregard for it; to uphold the basic human rights enshrined in the institution, instead of encouraging its abuse. Be the leader you

 promised to be, and stop the lies that are distorting the truth in our society today,” she added.

Duterte has been soundly criticized for his bloody campaign against illegal drugs which led to the killing of at least 7,000 drug suspects by the police or unidentified armed men.

Robredo also decried the arrest of Sen. Leila de Lima, who like her is a member of the Liberal Party. She called on the Filipino people to defy what she described as brazen violation of human rights.

“The message [of de Lima’s arrest]was loud and clear: anyone who dares speak dissent is not safe. We are made to believe that those who protest and oppose are traitors to the nation and its people. The public is made to believe that the Philippines is in complete dysfunction, and that only the most bloody measures can cure our country of its ills. As we celebrate the anniversary of the EDSA Revolution, we are called upon to reject these lies,” Robredo said.

“The change that we so desire begins with us—in the way we live our lives, in the way we protect the rights and liberties that EDSA restored, in the way we continue the unfinished work of the revolution. Never forget that liberty rightfully belongs to our nation and its people. Never forget that together, we can make a stand for every Filipino who suffers injustice, for those who have been betrayed and neglected, and for those who continue to aspire for progress in our country,” she added.
Philippine vice president Leni Robredo defends her fellow Liberal party-mate Leila de Lima who was arrested for alleged drug trafficking. Robredo calls de Lima's arrest political harassment.