Teddy Baguilat, former Rep. Erin Tañada, Dean Chel Diokno, Chair Chito Gascon, Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats Chairperson Jayanthi Balaguru, former member of the Cambodian Parliament Mu Sochua, Marawi Civic Leader Samira Gutoc-Tomawis, Atty. Alex Padilla, Dean Tony La Viña, Sen. Leila’s brother Vicente M. de Lima II and Chief-of-Staff Atty. Fhillip Sawali, a milestone forum entitled “International Forum on Lawfare: Weaponizing the Law Against Democratic Dissent” was held today (Feb. 21) at the Henry Sy Hall, De La Salle Taft, Manila.
Organized by the De La Salle University, Alternative Law Groups, Human Rights and People Empowerment Center, and the Committee for the Freedom of Leila de Lima, with the support of Rappler as media partner, the forum tackled the implications of the misuse of lawfare and how to stand up against weaponizing the law to harass, persecute and eliminate political adversaries.
#FREELEILA—Showing to the members of the press a note sent to her by Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima earlier on Feb. 21, former member of the Cambodian Parliament Mu Sochua expressed her support for the staunchest critic of the Duterte regime who will be marking her 3rd year of most unjust detention on Feb. 24.
Sochua, together with Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats Chairperson Jayanthi Balaguru, Sen. De Lima’s brother Vicente M. de Lima, Dean Tony La Viña, Dean Chel Diokno, and Atty. Alex Padilla were among the parliamentarians, political leaders, legal luminaries, academicians, human rights activists, and media practitioners who convened today in an international forum to fight and call out the spurious use of lawfare by oppressive regimes to silence dissent and persecute their critics. #Lawfare #StopLawfare
