(Eagle News) — The Senate minority bloc is calling on the government to free one of its members, Senator Leila de Lima, who is detained on drug-related charges.
Under Senate Resolution No. 780, the bloc–composed of Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon, and Senators Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Risa Hontiveros, Francis Pangilinan, and Antonio Trillanes IV—said freeing De Lima from “unjust detention” and giving her “an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, including her reinstatement in the positions from which she was ousted” was one of the recommendations given by the United Nations Human Rights Council – Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in its 13-page opinion adopted during its 82nd session last Aug. 24.
The UN panel also asked the government to take the necessary steps to ensure an independent investigation into the circumstances behind what it said was De Lima’s arbitrary deprivation of liberty, and take appropriate measures, against those responsible for violating her right.
The Philippines “as a member of the United Nations should always endeavor to ‘fulfill in good faith the obligations assumed by them in according with the present Charter’ as mandated by Article 2 paragraph 2 of the UN Charter,” the bloc said.
“The Philippines as a member of the UNHRC must faithfully comply with its obligation to promote, protect and uphold the human rights of all regardless of sex, race, religion, or political beliefs, and opinions,” the bloc added
The resolution was signed by Drilon,Pangilinan, Trillanes, Aquino and Hontiveros two days before Congress takes a recess for the mid-term election.
The charges against De Lima, who is detained in Camp Crame, stem from her alleged role in the proliferation of the illegal drug trading in the New Bilibid Prison when she was justice secretary.