Leila De Lima, the Philippine’s former justice minister and one the fiercest critics of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, was acquitted by a court on Friday in a case in which she was alleged to have taken kickbacks from drug dealers.

The 63-year-old will not be released from jail as another case is pending before the court. She faced three drugs cases, of which two, including the Friday’s, have been dismissed. De Lima had been in detention for the past six years.

De Lima was charged in 2017, just shortly after she launched a senate investigation into Duterte's "war on drugs", during which thousands of users and dealers were killed, many by police or in mysterious circumstances.

It has been alleged that she was falsely charged as she went after the ex-president. Many human rights groups had considered her a political prisoner.

At that time, Duterte had repeatedly accused her of being involved in the drug trade during televised speeches, which De Lima dismissed as a vendetta.

"Thank you, thank you, more prayers," De Lima said as she emerged from the courtroom, in live-streamed comments, reports Reuters news agency.

"I'm still asking for even more prayers for another case. Glorious day, glorious day, the beginning of my vindication," she said.

Reading a statement from De Lima, her lawyer, Filibon Tacardon, said "I have no doubt from the very beginning I will be acquitted". He said De Lima cried as she heard of the acquittal.

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A former justice minister who won several human rights awards, De Lima said the charges were engineered to silence her.

This is the second drug case where she emerged victorious. &nbsp;In 2021, a court dismissed one of three drugs cases filed against De Lima that stemmed from Duterte's allegations, which led to multiple online hate campaigns against her.

Responding to the judgement, Amnesty International said that the decision was “long overdue”.

“We urge the authorities to also quash the remaining drug case and to ensure that her application for temporary freedom in this pending case is processed speedily and fairly,” interim Deputy Regional Director for Research Montse Ferrer said in a statement.

“The authorities must not delay her release any longer and allow her to be reunited with her family, friends and supporters after six long years.”

Charges against her started dropping after key witnesses began retracting testimony they had made against de Lima, as Duterte’s term in office came to an end.

Last April, self-confessed druglord Kerwin Espinosa issued an affidavit and apology saying that his statements against de Lima were the result of “pressure, coercion, intimidation and serious threats to his life and his family”.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Leila De Lima, the Philippine’s former justice minister and one the fiercest critics of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, was acquitted by a court on Friday in a case in which she was alleged to have taken kickbacks from drug dealers.

Leila De Lima, the Philippine’s former justice minister and one the fiercest critics of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, was acquitted by a court on Friday in a case in which she was alleged to have taken kickbacks from drug dealers. The 63-year-old will not be released from jail as another case is pending before the court. She faced three drugs cases, of which two, including the Friday’s, have been dismissed. De Lima had been in detention for the past six years. De Lima was charged in 2017, just shortly after she launched a senate investigation into Duterte's "war on drugs", during which thousands of users and dealers were killed, many by police or in mysterious circumstances. It has been alleged that she was falsely charged as she went after the ex-president. Many human rights groups had considered her a political prisoner. At that time, Duterte had repeatedly accused her of being involved in the drug trade during televised speeches, which De Lima dismissed as a vendetta. "Thank you, thank you, more prayers," De Lima said as she emerged from the courtroom, in live-streamed comments, reports Reuters news agency. "I'm still asking for even more prayers for another case. Glorious day, glorious day, the beginning of my vindication," she said. Reading a statement from De Lima, her lawyer, Filibon Tacardon, said "I have no doubt from the very beginning I will be acquitted". He said De Lima cried as she heard of the acquittal. Highest US-China engagement since spy balloon incident A former justice minister who won several human rights awards, De Lima said the charges were engineered to silence her. This is the second drug case where she emerged victorious. In 2021, a court dismissed one of three drugs cases filed against De Lima that stemmed from Duterte's allegations, which led to multiple online hate campaigns against her. Responding to the judgement, Amnesty International said that the decision was “long overdue”. “We urge the authorities to also quash the remaining drug case and to ensure that her application for temporary freedom in this pending case is processed speedily and fairly,” interim Deputy Regional Director for Research Montse Ferrer said in a statement. “The authorities must not delay her release any longer and allow her to be reunited with her family, friends and supporters after six long years.” Charges against her started dropping after key witnesses began retracting testimony they had made against de Lima, as Duterte’s term in office came to an end. Last April, self-confessed druglord Kerwin Espinosa issued an affidavit and apology saying that his statements against de Lima were the result of “pressure, coercion, intimidation and serious threats to his life and his family”. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Philippines ex-president Rodrigo Duterte’s critic De Lima acquitted in drug case

Human rights groups expressed alarm at Sri Lanka's leader on Friday for praising Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and his bloody war on drugs as an "example to the whole world".

Despite international condemnation of a crackdown that has killed thousands of Filipinos, visiting Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena told Duterte during a banquet this week that he wanted to "follow your footsteps to control this hazard".

Carlos Conde, Philippines researcher for the New York-based Human Rights Watch, said Duterte's campaign was "a human rights calamity that no country in the world should even try to emulate".

"No 'drug war' that treated the drug problem purely from a crime perspective has ever succeeded," he said. "What they have wrought are untold suffering and the further destruction of the rule of law and the diminution of human rights".

The Philippine government has consistently refuted that and said the crackdown, which started in July 2016, was being administered lawfully.

On Friday, presidential spokesman, Salvador Panelo, said any allegations of state-sponsored killings were "pure hogwash".

Police say they have since killed at least 5,000 suspected drug dealers, although activists say the number could be far higher and they dispute official accounts that the killings were all in self-defence.

More than 200 people in Bangladesh have been killed by police in a similar campaign.

International drug smugglers have increasingly turned to Sri Lanka as a transit hub in Asia, authorities there have said.

Predominantly Buddhist Sri Lanka voted in favour of a UN&nbsp;resolution for a moratorium on the death penalty in 2015, but Sirisena said last year he wanted convicted traffickers caught arranging drugs deals from jail to be executed.

Philippines human rights group iDefend said that if Sirisena was serious about following Duterte's lead, he should be ready to face scrutiny by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague, which has started a preliminary examination into alleged crimes against humanity by Duterte.

"We warn Asian leaders not to emulate the Philippine model but adopt a humane, evidence-based public health approach to the drugs issue through a rights-based governance that strengthens, not erodes democratic institutions," iDefend spokesman Judy Pasimio said.

A spokesman for Sirisena did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Human rights groups expressed alarm at Sri Lanka's leader on Friday for praising Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and his bloody war on drugs as an "example to the whole world".

Human rights groups expressed alarm at Sri Lanka's leader on Friday for praising Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and his bloody war on drugs as an "example to the whole world". Despite international condemnation of a crackdown that has killed thousands of Filipinos, visiting Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena told Duterte during a banquet this week that he wanted to "follow your footsteps to control this hazard". Carlos Conde, Philippines researcher for the New York-based Human Rights Watch, said Duterte's campaign was "a human rights calamity that no country in the world should even try to emulate". "No 'drug war' that treated the drug problem purely from a crime perspective has ever succeeded," he said. "What they have wrought are untold suffering and the further destruction of the rule of law and the diminution of human rights". The Philippine government has consistently refuted that and said the crackdown, which started in July 2016, was being administered lawfully. On Friday, presidential spokesman, Salvador Panelo, said any allegations of state-sponsored killings were "pure hogwash". Police say they have since killed at least 5,000 suspected drug dealers, although activists say the number could be far higher and they dispute official accounts that the killings were all in self-defence. More than 200 people in Bangladesh have been killed by police in a similar campaign. International drug smugglers have increasingly turned to Sri Lanka as a transit hub in Asia, authorities there have said. Predominantly Buddhist Sri Lanka voted in favour of a UN resolution for a moratorium on the death penalty in 2015, but Sirisena said last year he wanted convicted traffickers caught arranging drugs deals from jail to be executed. Philippines human rights group iDefend said that if Sirisena was serious about following Duterte's lead, he should be ready to face scrutiny by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague, which has started a preliminary examination into alleged crimes against humanity by Duterte. "We warn Asian leaders not to emulate the Philippine model but adopt a humane, evidence-based public health approach to the drugs issue through a rights-based governance that strengthens, not erodes democratic institutions," iDefend spokesman Judy Pasimio said. A spokesman for Sirisena did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Activists decry Sri Lankan president's praise for Duterte's drugs war

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte compared his deadly crackdown on drug addicts in the country with Hitler&#39;s campaign to exterminate Jews.

&quot;Hitler massacred three million Jews. Now there are three million drug addicts (in the Philippines). I&#39;d be happy to slaughter them,&quot; Duterte said in his home city of Davao shortly after returning from Vietnam, AFP reported.

&quot;At least if Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have...,&quot; he said, then paused. &quot;But you know, my victims, I would like to be (sic) all criminals to finish the problem of my country and save the next generation from perdition.&quot;

President Duterte started a bloody war on drugs since he assumed office on June 30 this year. About 3,000 people have been killed in the anti-drug campaign in the last three months.

The campaign has come to be known as &quot;cardboard justice&quot; as placards with &quot;drug peddler&quot; or &quot;drug addict&quot; written on it have been placed on corpses that are left on the streets.

His anti-semitic statement has caused an uproar among the Jewish community.

World Jewish Congress president Ronald Lauder said in a statement that Duterte should retract his comments as they were &quot;profoundly inhumane&quot; and disrespected human life.&nbsp;

Around six million Jews, including 1.5 million children, were killed in The Holocaust, a genocide that took place under Adolf Hitler&#39;s Nazi Germany.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

More than 3,000 people have died in three months in a crackdown campaign overseen by the country's president

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte compared his deadly crackdown on drug addicts in the country with Hitler's campaign to exterminate Jews. "Hitler massacred three million Jews. Now there are three million drug addicts (in the Philippines). I'd be happy to slaughter them," Duterte said in his home city of Davao shortly after returning from Vietnam, AFP reported. "At least if Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have...," he said, then paused. "But you know, my victims, I would like to be (sic) all criminals to finish the problem of my country and save the next generation from perdition." President Duterte started a bloody war on drugs since he assumed office on June 30 this year. About 3,000 people have been killed in the anti-drug campaign in the last three months. The campaign has come to be known as "cardboard justice" as placards with "drug peddler" or "drug addict" written on it have been placed on corpses that are left on the streets. His anti-semitic statement has caused an uproar among the Jewish community. World Jewish Congress president Ronald Lauder said in a statement that Duterte should retract his comments as they were "profoundly inhumane" and disrespected human life. Around six million Jews, including 1.5 million children, were killed in The Holocaust, a genocide that took place under Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Philippines: Duterte likens deadly war on drugs to Holocaust