Leila De Lima’s Freedom
Written By Mikael Borres
As Senator De Lima was unable to be interviewed in person or through an online video setting due to her detention, Fascinating Features and the senator’s campaign team arranged a written interview instead.
In a 2018 interview with Rappler, detained senator Leila de Lima shared her rather sombre yet amusing life in jail, detailing her time living in a single-bed cell and her conversion into the cat lady of Camp Crame. Perhaps the cats supplement the lack of interaction between de Lima and the other people in her detention center.
It may have seemed that when she got jailed for what the senator described as “trumped-up” drug trade charges against her, she didn’t just lose her fundamental rights as a Filipino citizen and human being — she lost her freedom to live, laugh, and love.
“I do miss [...] doing certain mundane things I used to do out there. I miss being with my family and friends,” the senator said through the concise written answers she wrote to Fascinating Features.
But despite over five years of relative solitude as a political prisoner in Camp Crame, De Lima said that her freedom still exists.
When asked about what she thinks is the definition of freedom, she noted her experience being detained.
Freedom, to her, is about “being able to cherish and uphold my values and belief without fear or misgivings.”
“In this sense, no amount of physical detention can ever take that freedom away from me,” De Lima said.
In a written interview for Fascinating Features’ Candid Candidates election series, Senator Leila De Lima expressed that she still is still championing justice for herself against unfavourable odds and defamatory allegations.
But regardless of whether she is debating the Senate plenary sessions or working from her cell, De Lima’s fight to protect the freedoms of the Filipino people is always striving on — and it will always strive on.
. . .
Ever since her detainment, human rights organizations and prominent leaders from across the globe have advocated for her release. For instance, in January 2020, the United States Senate passed Resolution No. 142, which urged then-President Donald Trump to impose travel and financial sanctions on government officials who orchestrated or participated in the unjust treatment of Senator De Lima.
However, even with all the clamour in the press about releasing the detained senator, public opinion may be implying that they are neither connecting nor agreeing with the plea for her release.
Although there is no relevant or credible polling that is surveying the question of De Lima’s fate as a political prisoner, one indirect way to measure support for her cause would be the recent polling on the senatorial races in the 2022 elections — which includes De Lima since she is running for reelection.
At the time of the correspondence between Fascinating Features and De Lima’s campaign team, Pulse Asia released a survey on March 14 (conducted from February 18 to 22, 2022) that had the De Lima out of the top twelve list; only 11.4% of respondents preferred her to be elected, putting her in the 20th-27th range in the rankings.
The latest Pulse Asia survey, which was published on April 6 (conducted from March 17 to 21, 2022), had her at the same spot at 11.4% (and 21st-28th in the ranking).
De Lima pointed out two things that are resulting in the disconnect between her and voters. The first point is President Duterte, who pioneered a crusade against her for her investigations and hearings on the President’s violent war on drugs and the Davao Death Squad that thrived during his time as Davao City mayor.
“[...] Duterte exerted considerable resources and political capital to smear my reputation and destroy my credibility,” she wrote.
“Secondly, I am de-platformed by my detention. My access to the media has been unduly restricted. I have not been allowed to appear in any recorded interview, which limits my contact [with] the outside world through written media only.”
The senator was referring to her inability to campaign like other election candidates (as per a regional trial court decision). She is currently depending on supporters to advance her platform on her behalf; her spokespersons are representing her in forums and rallies, while she is writing responses from her cell and conducting interviews with the press (which cannot be captured via cameras or recording devices).
“To more critical and enlightened minds, it would be easy to see and comprehend the injustice done against me. But it takes more time to communicate the same to the rest of the world, especially against counterpropaganda of an incumbent populist.”
With the cards stacked against De Lima, one can expect her morale may dwindle as the number of days in Camp Crame climbs. However, as many outlets have reported through their conversations with the senator, she seems optimistic and hopeful about the future. Through her interview answers and election platforms, she indicates that she plans to persevere amidst petty politics.
However, there must be limits to the optimism and hope. Although this election cycle is rather more dynamic than expected, recent polls suggest that politicians who are actively promoting De Lima’s release may lose to those who rely on underhanded strategies to defame her.
At what point will Senator De Lima’s optimism fade away?
“I am detained because of the injustices in our country perpetrated by Duterte,” she said. “When those injustices cease to exist, I will gain my vindication. If Duterte’s successor decides to continue the climate that brought about my unjust detention, I will have to keep fighting a bit longer.
“For as long as there are leaders like [Vice President] Leni [Robredo] (whose candidacy De Lima is supporting), who do not look at our legal system as a tool for political oppression but as a means to get true justice, there is reason to be optimistic.”
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