Philippines rejects European Parliament's call on senator

Published March 17, 2017

The Philippine government has rejected a call by the European Parliament for the immediate release of Sen. Leila de Lima, a leading critic of the president who has been detained on drug charges, and told the international community to refrain from influencing her case.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said Friday a European Parliament resolution calling for de Lima's release "casts aspersion on Philippine legal processes, its judicial system."

De Lima is a former top human rights official and vocal critic of President Rodrigo Duterte's brutal crackdown on illegal drugs. She was arrested and detained last month on charges she received bribes from detained drug lords. She says the charges are part of efforts by Duterte and his officials to muzzle critics of the deadly crackdown.

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