Leila de Lima, wrongfully imprisoned, aims to re-enter politics in 2025, advocating for marginalized communities and justice for drug war victims.
Manila: Leila de Lima, a strong critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte, spent over six years in jail on charges that many believe were fabricated. Now, she’s ready to jump back into politics in 2025.
During Duterte’s presidency, she was one of the few who openly challenged his brutal anti-drug campaign. She started looking into the killings that happened during this crackdown, which really ticked off Duterte. She expected some backlash, but not the years behind bars.
Now that she’s free and has been cleared by the courts, she’s gearing up to run as the lead nominee for a new party called Mamamayang Liberal. This party aims to support marginalized groups like farmers, fishers, women, and the LGBTQ+ community.
De Lima is passionate about seeking justice for the families of those affected by the drug war. She mentioned that it’s been over seven years, and justice still feels out of reach for many.
Since Duterte left office, he’s been under scrutiny for his actions, facing investigations both locally and internationally. De Lima believes that the International Criminal Court is getting closer to taking action against him.
She’s confident that the truth will come out, with witnesses now feeling brave enough to share their stories about the drug war. Unlike local investigations, she thinks Duterte can’t manipulate the ICC.
De Lima was elected to the Senate in 2016, the same year Duterte took office. He promised a violent crackdown on drugs, which led to thousands of deaths. When she started investigating, he launched a personal attack against her, accusing her of all sorts of things.
After her arrest in 2017, she continued her work from prison, keeping a strict routine and even adopting stray cats. Her family kept her imprisonment a secret from their elderly mother, telling her De Lima was studying abroad instead.
Many witnesses who testified against her have since recanted, admitting they were pressured to lie. The last of her drug-related charges was dropped earlier this year, which many saw as a victory.
Whether Duterte will face prosecution depends on the current president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. There’s speculation that he might change his stance on cooperating with the ICC, especially with the political tensions between the Duterte and Marcos families.
Recently, Sara Duterte has been making headlines with her aggressive political rhetoric, which seems to be a strategy to rally support ahead of the midterms.
Rodrigo Duterte is also planning to run for mayor in Davao, their family’s stronghold. De Lima believes they’re feeling the pressure as their political influence wanes.
There’s talk that she might aim for the presidency in 2028, although her popularity has dipped. She’s been vocal about her concerns regarding Sara Duterte, calling her a dangerous leader and supporting efforts to impeach her.
While Marcos has been cautious about impeachment, De Lima remains hopeful that he will eventually comply with the ICC if they seek to arrest Rodrigo Duterte.
She thinks that deep down, Marcos knows that cooperating with the ICC might be the best way to distance himself from the former president.
