MANILA — Former Senator Leila De Lima on Tuesday said she was looking forward to reuniting with her family in their hometown and "restoring my normal life very soon" after she won bail and walked out of a nearly 7-year detention.

De Lima, who went to the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag in Pangasinan early Tuesday, said she was sleepless during her first day out of Camp Crame due to "sheer exhaustion."

The former lawmaker and justice secretary said she caught up with her staff and loved ones for most of the night.

"What is important is I am with my friends, I will be with my family very soon and I will be restoring my normal life very soon," De Lima told ABS-CBN News in an exclusive interview.

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"And kahit nagugutom ako kagabi hindi rin ako masyado makakain because of yung kuwentuhan and all that," she said.

"The taste of freedom is so so precious. There is no substitute for freedom, really," she added.

She said she was still getting used to being out of detention. Back at the PNP Custodial Center, De Lima said she typically woke up at 4:30 a.m., read the Bible, wrote letters, did physical chores like cleaning and even fed the chickens and turkeys that belonged to some of the guards.

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"Although may nagbisita talaga sa akin sa Custodial... for various reasons, it is only now na puwede na silang magpakita sa akin. And I could feel also their great relief and their joy to see me after all these years lalo na yung mga staff ko," De Lima said.

"Masaya ako na nag-usap usap muna kami bago ako, before I rested. Many of them came to see me and were also happy. Reminiscing also, yung former staff ko and then friends."

FIGHT FOR ADVOCACIES

De Lima said she was looking forward to being reunited with her 91-year-old mother who has dementia in their hometown in Iriga, Camarines Sur.

She said the upcoming Christmas would be the best one yet for their family.

De Lima said she was eager to restore her reputation.

"I just have to be myself and pursue further all my advocacies. I will fight more for my advocacies: justice, human rights, rule of law, democracy," she said.

"If I continue to do that, sharing with the people, those advocacies, they would see that it is still the same Leila de Lima before they destroyed my name. Then I guess redemption will come," she said.

De Lima, who is facing the last of 3 drug cases filed against her during the previous Duterte administration, was released on Monday after more than 6 years in jail after a Muntinlupa court granted her petition for bail.

Her camp paid P300,000 in bail and left Camp Crame on Monday evening, after which she held a brief press conference in Quezon City.

OUR LADY OF MANAOAG

De Lima said she begged her lawyers to allow her to go Pangasinan and pray to Our Lady of Manaoag as one of her first itineraries outside detention.

She said she promised the Virgin Mary that she would visit the shrine when the day of her release came.

"Noong nakulong ako, na-stop lahat yun (visit to the shrine) and nakulong na ako, 'pag nagdadasal ako kay Mama Mary, I have an image of Our Lady of Manaoag in my detention cell," De Lima said.

"I don't want to break that promise. In fact, my lawyers, and some of my staff are dissuading me because of security concerns but I had to plead to them. Iniyakan ko pa nga sila, di ko puwede na i-break yung promise ko na yan kay Mama Mary," she said.

Prior to her detention, De Lima would visit the church twice a month.

Upon arriving at the church this Tuesday morning, the former senator was greeted by her supporters. She only stayed for about 26 minutes.