MANILA, Philippines: Former vice president Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo caught up with former senator Leila de Lima in Naga City on Thursday, according to a post on her social media account.
It was her first meeting with de Lima after her release from Camp Crame on Monday. They last met while the former senator was in detention.
Robredo said de Lima told her that she wanted to spend time with her mother in Iriga once she is free. De Lima eventually got to meet her mother upon reaching Iriga.
The pair was scheduled to meet with Caceres Archbishop Rolando Tirona in Naga City.
“I was already on the bus bound for Naga when she was finally released. I hoped that I would still be in Naga when she goes home to Iriga,” Robredo wrote on Facebook. “True enough, she said she was going home the following day and wanted to go to Naga to pay homage to the Virgin of Peñafrancia and visit Archbishop [Rolando] Tirona, who was able to visit her a few times while she was in Camp Crame.”
The former vice president said it was an emotional moment seeing de Lima free from the PNP Custodial Center.
“There was a lot of catching up to do. But, first, lunch. She said she was craving Bicol food so that was what we had,” she wrote.
Robredo said that the former senator and justice secretary had to visit a dentist and renew some of her IDs as most of them have expired, except for her senior citizen’s ID. De Lima had also brought home five stray cats that she took care of back in Camp Crame.
“She hasn’t gotten around cleaning and organizing her books, papers and effects yet. It was poignant listening to her immediate concerns now. She’s relearning how it is to live in freedom again,” Robredo said.
De Lima “profusely thanked” Robredo after they went “everywhere” together, to which the former vice president said was “nothing compared to all the crosses she had to bear to fight for what is right.”
On Monday, de Lima was released from custody after seven years in detention on drug charges.