Sen. Leila M. de Lima today prayed for her own resurrection as she marked her 52nd day of detention in Camp Crame.
“They may deprive me temporarily of my liberty, they may paralyze me physically, but they can never ever kill or destroy my spirit and my passion for the things I truly believe in—respect for human rights and justice,” said De Lima, a prisoner of conscience, during the Easter Sunday mass held inside her detention facility.
Earlier, De Lima said that she was engulfed with sadness because for the first time in her life, she was not able to join the Good Friday procession in Iriga, her hometown, to personally pray before Santo Entierro. Instead, she observed the Stations of the Cross at her detention facility together with family and friends.
Visitors, among them De Lima’s relatives who were able to attend their family’s annual religious tradition, shared their stories of the said occasion, which made the Senator glad.
As in every mass celebrated by Fr. Robert Reyes, the Senator’s spiritual adviser, guests are encouraged to give their own reflection. This time, they shared about their personal cavalry. One of them said he experienced being falsely accused of a crime by his colleagues.
In response, De Lima said: “Nauunawaan ko po ang mga ibinahagi ninyo, lalo na po ngayong isa rin akong biktima—biktima ng kawalan ng respeto sa aking karapatan, at sa kawalan ng hustisya, dahil sa pagpapakulong sa akin nang walang basehan.”
“Ang malaking kaibahan lang po, ang kalaban ko ay ang buong estado. Nakikita naman ninyo kung paano gamitin ng nasa kapangyarihan ang kanilang posisyon para ako ay gipitin at ipitin.”
De Lima’s legal team is set to submit tomorrow her memorandum to the Supreme Court for her petition to nullify her arrest.
“I pray that SC will have the wisdom, discernment and courage to uphold what is true and just, and to see right through my case as clear political persecution,” she said.
De Lima ends her sharing with a prayer: “As I commit my own resurrection and salvation, dear Lord, increase my faith, strengthen my hope, inflame my love for You and our country.”