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> 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> 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> An arrest warrant has been issued for the highest-profile opponent of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on drugs, but she dodged police and sought refuge in the Senate.



The planned arrest of Senator Leila de Lima outraged her supporters and human rights activists, who said the government had manufactured drug trafficking charges to silence her criticism of Duterte and intimidate others.

The 57-year-old lawyer, who has spent nearly a decade trying to link Duterte to death squads that have allegedly killed thousands of people, could be jailed for life if she is found guilty of drug trafficking.

“I have no plans of fleeing and I have no plans to go in hiding. I will face all these charges,” a tearful De Lima told reporters at the Senate in the early evening after a Manila court issued the arrest warrant.

De Lima then went to her home in another part of the capital after believing she had secured an agreement with authorities to surrender on Friday morning.

But, after police were seen on national television driving to her home to arrest her, De Lima quickly left and returned to the perceived safety of the Senate building.

De Lima appealed late on Thursday night for police not to arrest her overnight, and committed to surrendering on Friday.

“If they respect the Senate as an institution, they should not force an arrest tonight,” she told reporters at the Senate.

Police followed her to the Senate. But, signalling an apparent pause to a night of intense drama, the head of security at the Senate and De Lima’s aides said police had committed to waiting until Friday morning to arrest her.

De Lima is accused of orchestrating a drug trafficking ring when she was justice secretary in the previous administration of Benigno Aquino.

But De Lima and her supporters insist she is innocent, and that Duterte wants to crush one of his most vocal and enduring critics.

De Lima this week branded Duterte a “sociopathic serial killer” as she called for ordinary Filipinos to stand up in opposition to his drug war, which has seen more than 6,500 people killed since he took office eight months ago.

De Lima’s Liberal Party, which ruled for six years under Aquino, voiced deep anger on Thursday at her imminent arrest.

“This arrest is purely political vendetta and has no place in (a) justice system that upholds the rule of law. This is condemnable. We reiterate that an arrest based on trumped-up charges is illegal,” it said in a statement.

The party also said it feared for De Lima’s life once she was arrested, citing the police killing of another politician, Rolando Espinosa, inside a jail cell in November last year after he was arrested on drug charges.



The National Bureau of Investigation said the police who raided the jail murdered him and that he was defenceless. But Duterte defended the police and vowed they would not be jailed.

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

He immediately launched the crackdown after taking office in June and police have reported killing 2,555 drug suspects since then, with about 4,000 other people murdered in unexplained circumstances.

Amnesty International has warned that police actions in the drug war may amount to crimes against humanity.

Amnesty said Thursday that, if De Lima was arrested, it would regard her as a prisoner of conscience.

“The arrest of de Lima is a blatant attempt by the Philippine government to silence criticism of President Duterte and divert attention away from serious human rights violations in the ’war on drugs’,” it said.

But Duterte’s aides said De Lima’s imminent arrest showed even the most powerful people would be brought to justice if they broke the law.

“The war on illegal drugs targets all who are involved and the arrest of an incumbent senator demonstrates the President’s strong resolve to fight pushers, peddlers and their protectors,” presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said. </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> One of the fiercest critics of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte and his bloody crackdown on illegal drugs was arrested Thursday evening on drug-related charges in what supporters say is a politically motivated vendetta.

Sen. Leila de Lima is accused of having abetted the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison when she was justice secretary from 2010 to 2015.

A judge in the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court on Thursday afternoon found “sufficient probable cause for the issuance of the Warrants of Arrest” against de Lima and two others.

By evening, a team from the Philippine National Police headed to the embattled lawmaker’s residence south of the capital, Manila.

“The haste is deplorable,” her fellow party members in the Senate said in a statement.

A graphic reading “One for Leila” circulated on social media. A close ally, Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, asked social media users to “please share (it) as a sign of our outrage against political persecution.”

A few hours after the arrest warrant was issued, de Lima told reporters at a press conference that she would not run away from the cases filed against her.

De Lima has consistently insisted she is not involved in the illegal drug trade.

Duterte first raised the allegations against de Lima in a speech in August.

She’s accused of receiving payoffs from convicted drug lords who were able to continue their illegal operations from behind bars while she was justice secretary. The prison facility is managed by the Bureau of Corrections, an arm of the Department of Justice.

Duterte won the presidency on a platform of cracking down on crime, particularly illegal drugs. Since taking office in June, his police force has waged a bloody war on drug dealers and users, resulting in the deaths of thousands of suspects at the hands of police and vigilantes.

De Lima became the subject of probes launched by Duterte’s political allies after the senator initiated a Senate inquiry into alleged state-sanctioned killings in the course of Duterte’s bloody war on drugs.

A Senate committee, led by an ally of Duterte’s, decided in October to drop its inquiry into the extrajudicial killings of drug dealers and users during the leader’s first few months in office.

In December, Duterte admitted to killing drug suspects during his time as mayor of Davao City.

Felons from the prison facility have directly linked de Lima to the penitentiary drug trade. But de Lima said the government pressured those convicts to testify and have an “ax” to grind against her.

As justice secretary, de Lima conducted a raid at the New Bilibid Prison maximum security area that shocked the nation, revealing a luxurious lifestyle of high-profile inmates who are now among the witnesses against her.

De Lima has said she will take legal action to protect herself from what she says is political persecution.

Last week, Duterte said he was confident the Justice Department’s case against de Lima was airtight. He said the senator “will have to face the music” and the charges filed against her. </s> A Philippine opposition senator who is a vocal critic of President Rodrigo Duterte has been arrested in a move which has been condemned as persecution of the government's opponents.

Senator Antonio Trillanes was arrested on charges of rebellion outside of the Senate building in the Philippine capital Manila hours after a warrant for his capture was issued by a court.

The arrest followed a revocation by Duterte last month of a 2010 amnesty granted to Trillanes for his role in two coup attempts in the mid-2000s.

The senator has been fiercely critical of Duterte's drug war which has killed thousands of people and has accused Duterte of hiding wealth.

He backed a probe into Duterte by the International Criminal Court.

"Democracy died today," Philippine news site Rappler quoted Trillanes as saying shortly before his arrest.

"This case goes beyond me ... This is clearly Mr Duterte silencing his political critics, those who tell the truth."

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte would respect the decision of the judiciary.

"The court has spoken," he said in a statement. "Let us stop the drama by press conference and allow the legal process to take its course."

Trillanes is the second senator arrested after voicing criticism of Duterte's drug war. Leila de Lima has been behind bars since February 2017 on charges she says were concocted in order to silence her.

"This arrest ... is part of the persecution of critics of the Duterte administration, the latest in the relentless campaign to silence those who dared to challenge the president's murderous 'drug war'," Carlos Conde of Human Rights Watch Philippines told AFP news agency.

Trillanes posted bail of 200,000 pesos ($3,770).
A Philippine court orders the arrest of Duterte critic and Liberal senator Leila de Lima. She later voluntarily turned herself in the next day (Al Jazeera), (PDI)