A message to Brother Armin Luistro from Senator Leila de Lima after the conclusion of the first ever Forum on “Lawfare” held in De La Salle University last 21 Feb 2020.
Dear Bro. Armin:
Warm greetings! Today marks the beginning of my 4th year in detention.
I do not know how long I will remain behind bars but my will to fight remains undeterred, moreso validated and reinvigorated by the overwhelming success of the Feb. 21 International Forum on Lawfare.
My sincerest gratitude and appreciation to you for believing in my vision to organize the first ever Forum on “Lawfare” and seeing it to fruition. Thank you for giving us your valuable time and energy, and most especially making the partnership with my alma mater, De La Salle University, happen.
As a dedicated member of the Committee for the Freedom of Leila de Lima and a dear friend and ally, you have proven time and again anything is possible with hard work and dedication of like-minded people.
Allow me also to express my gratitude to the whole DLSU system for being a steadfast ally of democracy and human rights, and for not hesitating to host the milestone event. DLSU indeed never fails to serve as a safe space for discussion, deliberation and taking action for democracy.
This is to also to give thanks to DLSU for providing the excellent venue, the equipment, and the manpower for the Forum. Despite a month short notice, the DLSU staff, students and faculty were onboard and quite admirably worked as one great team. I must say that, based on feedbacks from my staff and attendees of the event, DLSU’s hosting was superb!
As an alumna, I am extremely honored and humbled at the same time by all the efforts, resources and expertise that you and the whole DLSU system have extended to me and to the Organizing Committee of the Forum.
I look forward to the day when I personally can take part in future worthy endeavors with you. In the meantime, I continue to have high hopes for your unyielding support to my advocacies and mandate as a Senator.
This fight for genuine freedom and democracy might be a very long journey, but I am confident that with our united voices and unswerving zeal and determination, our country will experience what it truly should be—a haven of justice, freedom and democracy.
Again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you very much.
With warmest esteem,
SEN. LEILA
