Jailed Duterte rival celebrates 'moral victory' after court dismisses case

MANILA, Feb 18 (Reuters) - A jailed critic of Philippine
leader Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday hailed as a "moral victory" a
court's dismissal of one of three cases against her, which stem
from the president's allegations she prospered from illicit
drugs under the previous government.
Senator Leila de Lima, who has spent four years in prison
since she led an investigation into alleged summary executions
during Duterte's signature war on drugs, said the court's
decision showed the charges against her were "trumped-up" by the
Duterte administration.
The court said that its granting of De Lima's plea to
dismiss the case on lack of evidence was "tantamount to her
acquittal".
De Lima, a former justice minister, is considered by many
activists as a political prisoner and has received awards from
human rights groups for standing up to Duterte over the deaths
of thousands of suspected drug peddlers.
"Not a single witness testified that I and my co-accused
conspired with drug lords to trade drugs in prisons," De Lima
said in a statement.
"From the onset, these cases were filed to silence me and
distract me from my duties as senator."
Before and during her detention, De Lima was subject to
humiliating public tirades by Duterte, who accused her of
adultery and of making a sex tape and even recommended she hang
herself.
De Lima sought a court injunction to muzzle Duterte and once
called him a "sociopathic serial killer". She has expressed fear
for her life because of the "diehard fanatics" among his
supporters.
Akbayan Partylist, a leftwing group of lawmakers, said De
Lima's first victory should serve as reminder to the government
that "despite the weaponisation of the law, the people will push
back in order for truth and justice to find their way out."
Duterte's spokesman, Harry Roque said De Lima had no reason
to celebrate because she remains in jail.