Washington (October 20, 2023) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) released a statement following two more government witnesses recanting their stories in the case of the Philippine government’s wrongful imprisonment of former Senator Leila de Lima based on conspiracy charges:

“It’s unacceptable that Senator de Lima has been detained on baseless conspiracy charges for 2,428 days. Senator Leila de Lima was simply expressing her political views and exercising her right to free expression. We are once again calling on the Philippine government to immediately release her and drop all charges, and to turn over a new leaf by rejecting past repression, embracing human rights, and supporting the rule of law.”