De Lima hailed as 2019 ‘Shero’
Credit to Author: THE MANILA TIMES| Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2020 13:18:13 +0000
SEN. Leila de Lima was named as one of the “Sheroes of 2019” or Women Heroes by the Canada-based RINJ Foundation for being the “Voice of Reason.”
The senator was chosen as for opposing the “vicious” policies of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs and for “championing the cause of safety for women and children.”
It was the fourth time that she received the award.
De Lima was detained in February 2017 at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center on drug charges.
She denied the complaint and described it as politically-motivated for being a critic of Duterte’s war on drugs since it led allegedly to extrajudicial killing (EJK) of suspected drug personalities.
“Her now solitary outspoken voice in opposition to the Duterte Death Squad is why Senator Leila de Lima is an unprecedented exceptional RINJ Shero four years in a row,” RINJ said.
The RINJ, a non-profit association of humanitarians listed with the United Nations, made the citation in recognition of the women “who smooth the path of humanity for a future of innovation, opportunity and safety of children and their families.”
The two other women who shared the Women Sheroes of 2019 recognition with de Lima are New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and United States Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.
Dubbing de Lima as “the Voice of Reason is a Political Prisoner,” Cathy Williams of FPMag recognized her as trailblazer for women in the Philippines who are in prominent positions in public service.
“Women like Senator de Lima and Vice President Leni Robredo have worked their way into the halls of power much to the chagrin of Filipino men who have always maintained the male-superior tradition of their ancient, misogynist tribal culture,” Williams said. Bernadette E. Tamayo