US senator renews call for De Lima’s release

MANILA, Philippines — US Senator Marco Rubio has renewed his call for the Philippine government to release detained Senator Leila De Lima. 

In a tweet, Rubio said that De Lima “has spent the last two years in prison on bogus charges.”

“I call on the Philippine government to unconditionally release her #FreeLeilaNow #ExpressionNOTOppression,” Rubio said. 

Philippine Senator Leila de Lima, a critic of extrajudicial killings under Duterte's so-called “war on drugs,” has spent the last two years in prison on bogus charges. I call on the Philippine government to unconditionally release her #FreeLeilaNow #ExpressionNOTOppression pic.twitter.com/B3lsNOnRtx

— Senator Rubio Press (@SenRubioPress) September 20, 2019

Rubio was among the US senators who, in April, filed a resolution condemning the arrests of De Lima and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa. 

Other senators who submitted the resolution included Senators Edward Markey of Massachusetts, Richard Durbin of Illinois, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, and Christopher Coons of Delaware.

READ: Lacson slams US senators: We are not your colony

De Lima, a fierce critic of the administration, has been detained for over two years over her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade. /je