De Lima joins ‘Walk for Life’ ahead of her impending arrest

Senator Leila De Lima on Saturday joined 'Walk for life' along with priests, lay people, and others opposing the alleged extrajudicial killings and the reimposition of death penalty.

LOOK: Sen. Leila De Lima, dumalo sa Walk For Life sa Quirino Grandstand, Maynila. | via Mao dela Cruz pic.twitter.com/WoQaKvkUHw

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) February 17, 2017

As early as 4 a.m., thousands of those who condemn alleged extrajudicial killings in the country and the reimposition of death penalty walked together at the Quirino Grandstand, radio dzBB reported.

“I’m here with the people because of our shared thoughts and opinion, and shared views, and shared convictions," De Lima said. 

De Lima was charged with three separate drug cases on Friday before the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court for violation of violation of Section 5 (sale and trading of illegal drugs) in relation to Section 3 (jj), Section 26 (b), and Section 28 (criminal liability of government officials and employees) of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The RTC will have to decide next week whether or not to issue an arrest warrant against the former Justice secretary, who is among those blamed for the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City.

Asked whether she thinks the criminal cases were meant to silence her, De Lima said, “No other reason, and also personal vendetta of the President. There’s no other reason because I’m innocent and not at all involved in the drug trade. So these are all trumped-up charges.”

De Lima also vowed to continue being a staunch critic of the administration saying, “For as long as I can, I will continue to fight. They cannot silence me.”

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and the Council of the Laity of the Philippines organized Saturday's "Walk for Life," a rally condemning the reimposition of death penalty and alleged extrajudicial killings.

CBCP president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas had earlier urged the public to stand up against the killings and not let 'blood be on our streets.'

"Let us walk for life, let us fill our streets not with blood, not with dead bodies. But with prayer, with courage to walk, to stand up for life. Let us stand up for life. Let us walk for life," Villegas said.

"Is it God's will that blood be on our streets? Is it God's will that dead bodies of our brothers and sisters be found in our sidewalks? Is it God's will that mothers kill the infants in their wombs? It is not God's will. Our streets must be safe, our streets should be secure," Villegas added. — MDM, GMA News