MANILA: The lawyers for jailed Philippine human rights activist Leila de Lima vowed to win her freedom after a judge who recently denied her bail quit the trial on Friday (Jun 16).
De Lima, one of the most outspoken critics of former president Rodrigo Deterte and his deadly anti-drug war, has been in prison for more than six years on narcotics-related charges.
She says the three charges – two of which have been dismissed – were fabricated to silence her.
Romeo Buenaventura, the judge in the trial over the remaining charge, stepped down on Friday, saying his decisions in the case are “vulnerable to charges of bias and partiality”, according to a copy of the ruling seen by AFP.
The case will now be assigned to a new court that de Lima’s lawyers said will hopefully grant bail, which Buenaventura had denied on Jun 7.
De Lima’s lawyer Filibon Tacardon told AFP that the campaigner is “steadfast in her resolve that her vindication is near”.
Buenaventura faced calls from de Lima and other defendants to recuse himself on the grounds that he had failed to disclose that his brother had served as a lawyer for a prosecution witness who had since recanted his testimony.
The judge has rejected allegations of bias.