VP Robredo, Sharon Cuneta to grace online program marking De Lima's 5th year in detention

To mark Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima's 5th year in unjust detention tomorrow (Feb. 24), esteemed leaders and prominent artists and personalities will grace the round-the-clock online program featuring songs, poems, and messages of love and solidarity for the lawmaker.

Video messages from Presidential aspirant and Vice President Leni Robredo, Sen. Frank Drilon, former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, former Ombudsman and Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, Bro. Armin Luistro, Prof. Randy David and women rights group #EveryWoman are expected to be played during the program.

Also to be played in the program are messages of support from Megastar Sharon Cuneta, Angel Aquino, singers Celeste Legaspi and Jim Paredes.

To lighten up the day, there will be performances from several artists including Bayang Barrios, Johnoy Danao, Skarlet Brown, Musicians for Democracy, Rey Abella, Nathan Abella, Ana Abad Santos, Phi Palmos, Yayo Aguila, Kalila Aguilos, and Madeleine Nicolas, among others.

The program, dubbed as "Leilaya: Kada Oras May Tumataya, Mga Tinig ng Paglaya," will be livestreamed at the official Facebook page of De Lima. The online event will start at 7AM until 10PM.

Last Feb. 24, 2021, it may be recalled that artists, activists, political leaders and other cause-oriented groups and prominent personalities also expressed their solidarity for De Lima by participating in an online jamming.

The said online concert, entitled "Leilaya! Mga Tinig at Himig ng Paglaya," allowed local and international personalities to also unite through music, poetry, interpretative reading, and messages of solidarity.

De Lima, known as the most prominent political prisoner under the Duterte regime, was already acquitted in one of her three trumped-up drug cases. She has consistently and firmly maintained her innocence in all these cases. The two other cases are still pending.

As someone launching a campaign from prison, De Lima earlier said that her continued unjust detention would never prevent her from fighting for her advocacies, especially with all the help, compassion and love she receives from supporters who are offering their time and resources to campaign for her.