Press Release
November 5, 2017

MINORITY SENATORS STATEMENT ON SEN. LEILA DE LIMA'S MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION
SENATORS AQUINO, HONTIVEROS, PANGILINAN, TRILLANES

The minority bloc at the Senate believes the motion of reconsideration filed by Senator Leila De Lima before the Supreme Court must be supported and granted.

The motion asked the high court to reconsider its earlier decision dismissing her petition to nullify the arrest warrant issued against her in connection with the fabricated and politically-motivated drug trade charges.

There is a well-founded reason to hear and grant the motion, especially since the 9-6 voting of the magistrates manifests not only the absence of a consensus, but a sharp division among the members of the high court on the nature of the crime.

The case should be revisited as it involves a picture larger than the unjust detention of an irrepressible and vocal critic of the President, but the violation of human rights and debasement of basic freedoms -- which could happen to anybody.

As it is, critics of the administration have been labelled and chastised for their dissent. We should oppose these dubious and malevolent attempts to silence the opposition as it would be tantamount to wrecking democracy.

We hope the magistrates will show that the Supreme Court is above politics and will not be a party to political persecution by the administration.

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