De Lima was placed in jail nearly six years ago when the Philippine Justice Department charged her with the “non-bailable” offense of participating in the illegal drugs trade.

The authorities arrested de Lima after she had sought to investigate violations committed in the context of the so-called “war on drugs”, including the extrajudicial execution of thousands of suspected drug offenders, which Amnesty has said may amount to crimes against humanity.

De Lima has been detained for five years after she was suspected of allowing illegal drugs to proliferate inside the New Bilibid Prison — an attached agency of the Department of Justice, like BuCor. The senator used to be the Justice secretary in the Aquino administration.

Why have all the presidential and senatorial candidates, except for those in Vice President Leni Robredo’s slate, been quiet about her fate although her detention was clearly dictated by executive vengeance? Let us say it straight: Leila de Lima was jailed for exposing Duterte’s mass murder sprees in Davao city.

De Lima had been in jail for over six years on what she says were fabricated, politically motivated charges intended to silence her criticism of then-President Rodrigo Duterte and his bloody war on drugs.