Former Senator Leila de Lima, now free after years of legal battles, delivered a poignant message to former President Rodrigo Duterte, saying, “God forgive him and God bless him.”

This expression of forgiveness came during a press conference following De Lima’s release, where she hinted at undisclosed details about Duterte, stating, “He knows what he did to me, I suppose.”

Despite the tumultuous history between them, De Lima chose to focus on forgiveness and graciousness. “I don’t want to be political-sounding tonight because this is a moment of joy. This is a triumphant moment for me, so as much as possible I want to be gracious, god forgive him and god bless him,” she emphasized.

When questioned about potential legal actions against those who contributed to her imprisonment, De Lima, currently in discussions with her legal team, stated, “Wala muna kaming mga specific na mga pwede iannounce about that, there’s always that option, but as to definite plans pinaguusapan ‘yan” (“We don’t have specific announcements about that yet; there’s always that option, but as for definite plans, we’re discussing that”).

Expressing gratitude to her supporters, De Lima revealed plans to visit her mother in the Bicol region while temporarily free.

She acknowledged the Marcos Jr. administration for respecting the judiciary’s independence, noting, “I actually thank the administration for respecting the independence of the judiciary. When Marcos administration came in, there was hope, at least in my case, that justice will happen because I always knew while the former president is in power, I will not set free.”

Amidst the tirades and attacks from Duterte, De Lima, upon her release, extended a wish of “God bless” to the former president. Her release came after the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206 granted motions for reconsideration regarding the denial of the petition for bail on June 7.

A vocal critic of Duterte’s war on drugs, De Lima, during her term as justice secretary, launched probes into the alleged “Davao Death Squad,” which reportedly carried out extrajudicial killings in Davao City.

In 2016, Duterte accused her of involvement in the illegal drug trade, leading to congressional hearings with witnesses alleging her participation in drug trafficking.

“My prosecution was his project, so how can I be set free during his term?” De Lima asserted on Monday. Considered a moment of vindication, she expressed determination to work for complete vindication, saying, “This is vindication, and I will further work for complete vindication because hindi pa tapos ang kaso na ito (this case is not yet finished).”

Facing three drug cases during her detention, De Lima received favorable rulings and acquittals in two of them. Last month, two witnesses in her last case withdrew their testimonies, citing a troubled conscience.

De Lima remains confident in the merits of her case but did not discuss specifics.

As for the next legal steps, De Lima, along with her legal team, is in the planning stages. “Pinag-uusapan namin iyan (We’ll be discussing that),” she affirmed. The former senator’s journey, marked by resilience and unwavering faith, is far from over, as she seeks to reveal the truth about her innocence and those behind the legal challenges she faced.