Philippine government files criminal charges against Duterte critic

The Philippine government filed a criminal case in court on Wednesday against a staunch critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, accusing her of trying to sabotage a congressional investigation into her alleged involvement in the drugs trade.

The justice ministry’s case against its former head, Senator Leila de Lima, says she deliberately skipped the house inquiry and told her ex-driver and alleged bagman to go into hiding and ignore a legislative summons.

De Lima is among only a few high-profile domestic critics of Duterte’s campaign against drugs, which has killed about 6,000 people, roughly a third in police operations. The other deaths are classified as under investigation, many believed to be the work of vigilantes.

Duterte’s allies in Congress said de Lima had shown disrespect for the inquiry. The criminal case is built around breaches of an article of the law on legislative summonses.