Watch more News on iWantTFC

Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said he was happy for former senator Leila De Lima and that he respected a court decision allowing her to post bail after nearly seven years behind bars.

"Masaya ako para sa kanya dahil one soul that is freed from detention, masaya ako para sa aking kapwa tao," Dela Rosa told reporters.

“As I have said, I respect the court decisions as I always also observe separation of powers. Respetuhin natin kung ano ang desisyon ng korte,” he added.

• De Lima: 'Sa wakas, makakalaya na po ako'

Dela Rosa was the national police chief when former president Rodrigo Duterte's administration filed drug cases against De Lima.

De Lima is one of the most outspoken critics of Duterte and his deadly anti-drug war. She said the narcotics-related charges against her were fabricated to silence her.

Dela Rosa said that while he believed that the charges against De Lima were strong, he was not able to examine all the facts of the case.

“I cannot really say with certainty na mahina ang kaso because it withstood the time of President Duterte’s term and after his term, ito na ngayon… dahan-dahang nadi-dismiss so hindi ko masabi. Does it mean na malakas siya noon tapos ngayon humina na? Hindi naman siguro because the facts are the same, the circumstances are still the same,” Dela Rosa said.

“Expected ko na yan at naging trend naman talaga yan dito sa Pilipinas… kapag yung administrasyon nag-file ng kaso, ‘pag napalitan yung administrasyon, tila humihina yung kaso, parang ganon ang napapansin ko,” he continued.

When asked if De Lima was politically persecuted, Dela Rosa said this question should be directed at the judge who granted bail to the former senator.

“Tanungin mo ang korte kasi sila nag may hawak ng kaso…mahirap na ako ang magsabi, tanungin mo ang korte bakit (nila) grinant ang bail, may kulay ba ng pulitika? Sila ang tanungin ninyo, Bakit noon panahon ni President Duterte hindi n’yo grinant yan? ngayon iba na ang Presidente, grinant ninyo?” Dela Rosa said.

"Does that mean that yung facts of the case during the Duterte administration are different sa facts of the case ngayong panahon na ng ibang presidente na, hindi naman siguro. Baka sabihin nila sa inyo na pinag-aralan naming mabuti yan at ngayon lang namin na-realized na dapat pala talagang i-grant yung bail sa kanya, baka ganon ang sabihin nila sa inyo."

• 'Laya na si Leila': Ex-VP Robredo, et al rejoice over grant of De Lima's bail

De Lima, 64, is accused of taking money from inmates inside the largest prison in the Philippines to allow them to sell drugs while she was justice minister from 2010 to 2015.

Multiple witnesses, including prison gang bosses, died or recanted their testimonies, resulting in the dismissal of two of the three charges against de Lima.

Since President Ferdinand Marcos came into office last June there have been renewed calls from human rights groups, foreign diplomats and politicians for de Lima's release.

While in jail she has suffered various health problems, including a pelvic organ prolapse that required surgery.

In October 2022, she was briefly taken hostage during an attempted breakout by three detained militants.

— With a report from Agence France-Presse

Watch more News on iWantTFC