De Lima writes 300th dispatch from detention

Despite the growing isolation against her, Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has released her 300th Dispatch from Crame roughly a year and three months since she was illegally and unjustly detained on obviously fabricated drug charges.

De Lima, the first prominent political prisoner under the Duterte regime, said she will never waver in resisting the lies peddled by the present Duterte administration even with just the written word as her only weapon.

"There's no stopping me from sharing my views and stand on social, economic and political issues if it means informing the public about the bitter truth and opening their eyes about the real condition of our country and the people under this murderous regime," she said.

As of this writing, De Lima has issued her 300th dispatch which tackled the bullying of Australian nun and human rights advocate, Sr. Patricia Fox, by Duterte and his henchmen.

In her written statement, De Lima said Duterte should stand up to bigger bullies like China instead of picking on Fox, who was ordered by the Bureau of Immigration to leave the country for allegedly participating in protest rallies.

"I may be deprived of physical liberty, but I still have the eyes that can see through the lies and the courage to speak out about it," shared De Lima, who remains updated about current events through the daily report of her staff members.

Without access to any electronic gadget and communication device since her illegal arrest in Feb. 24, 2017, De Lima simply makes use of her pen and paper to regularly write and issue dispatches not only on social, economic and political issues but also on her reflections about the political persecution in the hands of the Duterte administration, and a few times, on personal and family matters.

The Senator from Bicol said she hopes that her words will serve as an inspiration to many and remind the people that they should not be cowed by despotism.

"The voice of thousands who are on the side of truth is definitely more powerful than the presence of one ruthless dictator," she said.

Taking her liking of the written words up the notch, De Lima has released her first electronic book entitled "Dispatches from Crame I" last February with limited print copies distributed to supporters, her family and her friends.

Apparently, more than 100 of De Lima's handwritten statements from her detention have been included in the book, with titles as "Dear loved ones," "Dear dad," "I'm not the only one suffering, fighting," "I cannot be silenced," "No Regrets," "Woman-bashing in Congress," "What destabilization?" and "Why blame the media?"

De Lima, a known human rights defender, remains detained inside the national police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City since Feb. 24, 2017 over bogus illegal drug trade charges based on fabricated testimonies by convicted felons.