Duterte Accused of Silencing Critics After Senator's Drug Arrest
- Lawmaker who led opposition to drug war surrenders to police
- Vice president says government using courts to quash dissent
Leila De Lima in Manila on Feb. 23.
Photographer: Ted Aljibe/AFP via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
President Rodrigo Duterte’s political opponents accused him of attempting to quash dissent in the Philippines after police arrested one of his toughest critics on drug-trafficking charges.
Senator Leila de Lima, who has been criticizing Duterte’s drug crackdowns since he was a local mayor, was arrested Friday on allegations that she let illegal narcotics flourish inside the national jail while serving as justice secretary -- claims she calls “lies.” Her surrender outside her office in Manila, where she had spent the night, recalled past scenes of Philippine politicians prosecuted after clashing with the government.