Light of Liberty

Like a torch in a dark place, freedom is what enables anyone to see and change the world.
If anyone attempts to steal this light from a potent mind, darkness would engulf almost
everything as chaos takes over.
After enduring nearly seven years in detention, former Senator Leila De Lima has finally
been set free. A court in the Muntinlupa ordered her release on bail when five witnesses
withdrew their testimony in the case, which meant temporary liberty for De Lima. "Freedom,
freedom, freedom— I'm finally free!" she declared in the courtroom after hearing the verdict. I
can see people's smiles reaching their ears, as she can get back on track with her tremendous
assistance to society. Nevertheless, because of the brutal indictments, there are those who have
lost their trust in De Lima.
As I was watching the television with my family, the news of De Lima's release popped
up. I immediately turned to my grandmother who has been an avid supporter of the Former
Senator as I thought she would be delighted. But to my surprise, she lamented and said that it
would be best if De Lima stayed in prison. My grandmother went on with her aversion, further
describing she was nothing but a criminal.
Indeed, various charges of drug-related cases were filed against De Lima. However, it
does not instantly make her the bad guy. As the German physicist and philosopher Carl Friedrich
von Weizsäcker has said, "Politics is almost inevitably associated with a certain form of lying:
passing off what is useful to a party as what is just."
The charges on De Lima have been heavily criticized for being politically motivated.
From 1998 to 2005, there were extrajudicial killings in Davao City where Duterte was then
Mayor. Over 300 people were killed and the rate of killing has risen in the following years to
2008 with over 700 to 720 executions. De Lima, who was once the Chairperson of the
Commission on Human Rights, investigated the Davao Death Squad (DDS) responsible for the
massacre that Duterte was speculated to be linked with. Fast forward to the time when Duterte
became President, he then filed against then-Senator De Lima for being involved in drug-related
cases in the New Bilibid Prison. One thing that baffles some of the public, is that Duterte refused
to participate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) which can help prove De Lima's case
and even the extrajudicial killings. Further, the charges against the Former Senator were built
upon testimonies from convicted drug lords with questionable credibility. Bureau of Corrections
(BuCor) officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos, who disclosed that he was forced by former Department
of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre to testify against De Lima, even recanted his
testimony. It seems as though the criminal justice system convicts De Lima of a crime she did
not even commit, which is a horrible miscarriage of justice.
Also, De Lima has contributed largely to society. She served as Secretary of the DOJ,
handling high-profile cases such as the prosecution of multiple well-known individuals
connected to the misappropriation of development funds, the case of electoral sabotage against
former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo that resulted in her arrest, the risky searches of
maximum security prisoners' cells that exposed and ended their opulent lifestyle, and the
supervision of the Maguidanao massacre investigation. It was also under her leadership as the
chairman of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), that the Philippines' long-
awaited promotion to Tier 1 status was made possible by its removal from the US Human
Trafficking Watchlist. We could not just let such a powerful mind be locked away from the
multitude.
As they say, in the end, the truth will always be set free. De Lima's cases were fabricated,
and people will see it once they look at the details more closely. She is a prominent figure as she
helps improve the nation's circumstances. Her efforts are deeply valued, not only by Filipinos but
also by the rest of the world. Truly, De Lima is innocent, as she deserves back the light of
liberty.