Long-jailed former Philippine senator who fought Duterte's brutal drug crackdown freed on bail

Mr. Duterte, whose stormy six-year term ended in June last year, insisted on her guilt, saying witnesses testified that she received payoffs from imprisoned drug lords.

A Philippine court on Monday freed on bail a former senator jailed more than six years ago on drug charges she said were fabricated to silence her investigation of then-President Rodrigo Duterte's brutal crackdown on illegal drugs.

The European Union Parliament, some American lawmakers and United Nations human rights experts have long demanded the release of Leila de Lima, who was detained as an opposition senator in February 2017 in what they called political persecution by Duterte and his allies and a major blow to Philippine democracy.

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Mr. Duterte, whose stormy six-year term ended in June last year, insisted on her guilt, saying witnesses testified that she received payoffs from imprisoned drug lords.

Regional Trial Court Judge Gener Gito on Monday reversed a decision earlier this year and granted the request of Ms. de Lima and four co-accused for bail while being tried in a final drug case. Two other non-bailable drug cases against her have been dismissed.

Dozens of de Lima's supporters cheered outside after the decision was announced in suburban Muntinlupa city in the capital, where armed police escorts brought her from detention in a security convoy.

“It's really an indescribable feeling. I'm starting from zero the life that they tried to destroy,” Ms. de Lima told The Associated Press shortly after her bail was approved.