“Her impending arrest will make her a political prisoner, persecuted under false pretext of trumped-up drug charges,” Akbayan said in a statement.
It lamented that “for being outspoken and critical, she is facing hasty, vindictive persecution while the likes of Jack Lam, Peter Lim and Janet Napoles are being accommodated and freed. “
Akbayan called on the public “to remain vigilant and not allow due process and the rule of law to be sacrificed for the sake of political vendetta.”
“Akbayan supports the call of the people for justice and fairness, and accountability from the malevolent forces behind the demonization of a human rights defender,” the statement said.
Akbayan stressed that “there are people who belong behind bars but Leila de Lima is definitely not one of them.”
