'She's very brave,' says kin after de Lima release

Relatives of former Senator Leila de Lima in Iriga, Camarines Sur turned emotional after a Muntinlupa court on Monday granted her bail petition for her remaining drug case, paving the way for her release  after almost seven years in detention.

“I’m very proud hindi siya nag neckbrace. Hindi siya nag wheelchair. She’s very very brave,” Elma de Lima Gaspi, the ex-legislator’s cousin, said in a report on “24 Oras."

(I’m proud she never wore a neck brace nor used a wheelchair. She’s very brave!)

Some of the ex-senator’s kin said they could not manage to watch the livestream of the court hearing but expressed joy over the court decision.

They said de Lima’s imprisonment was a challenge for their family. 

"The Lord is always alive with us! We are doing this, ilang taon na kaming nananalangin. Malaking pagpapasalamat sa lahat ng sumusuporta sa de Lima family,” Jess De Lima, the former senator’s nephew, said. 

(The Lord is always alive with us!  We’ve been praying for her release for years. We’re thankful for those who supported our family.)

Lawyer Boni Tacardon, De Lima’s legal counsel, earlier told reporters that the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 206 granted De Lima’s motion for reconsideration on her bail petition.

“Motion granted,” Tacardon said in a message to reporters. 

In an ambush interview, Tacardon said they were not able to read the court order in their excitement. 

“What is more important is the end result. Senator Leila de Lima will get the justice she rightfully deserves and ‘yung kanyang pitong taon, almost seven years na pagkakakulong, ay mapapahinto na natin ngayong araw na ito,” he said.

(What is more important is the end result. Senator Leila de Lima will get the justice she rightfully deserves and her seven years, almost seven years of imprisonment, will end today.)

The last portion of the decision stated that De Lima and her co-accused former Corrections Director Franklin Bucayu, Ronnie Dayan, Joenel Sanchez, and Jad Dera were allowed to post bail in the amount of P300,000 each.—Sundy Locus/LDF, GMA Integrated News