De Lima had been incarcerated for over six years on drug charges she claimed were fabricated to stifle her investigation into the controversial drug crackdown initiated by former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Following the decision to release de Lima on bail, dozens of her supporters erupted in celebration outside the court in Muntinlupa city, a suburb of the capital. The court's decision marks a pivotal moment in what many have deemed political persecution against de Lima and a blow to the country's democracy.

De Lima, who served as an opposition senator, has garnered support from various international entities in her quest for freedom. The European Union Parliament, American lawmakers, and United Nations human rights experts have all been vocal in their calls for her release, decrying the perceived political motives behind her detention. Two other non-bailable drug cases against de Lima have already been dismissed.

Former President Duterte, whose term ended last year, has staunchly maintained de Lima's guilt, citing testimony from witnesses allegedly implicating her in receiving payoffs from incarcerated drug lords. However, her supporters argue that the charges against her were part of a larger scheme to suppress her probing into Duterte's controversial anti-drug campaign.

Leila de Lima, in an interview with The Associated Press following the court's decision, expressed her elation at the turn of events. "It's really an indescribable feeling. I'm starting from zero the life that they tried to destroy," she said. De Lima's lawyers are hopeful that she will be able to return home on the same day.

Catholic priest Fr. Robert Reyes, a prominent supporter of de Lima, emphasized that while the granting of bail is a moment of relief, there is still work to be done in holding those responsible for her ordeal accountable.

The case against de Lima traces back to her tenure as the chief of the country's Commission on Human Rights in 2009, where she led an investigation into extrajudicial killings of drug suspects during Duterte's time as the Mayor of Davao city. Unable to secure public testimonies against the local leader, she later served as the country's justice secretary.

Since Duterte's election to the presidency in 2016, more than 6,000 individuals, mostly from impoverished backgrounds, have reportedly been killed in his administration's crackdown on illegal drugs, according to police records. Human rights groups contend that the actual death toll is significantly higher. The International Criminal Court has opened an investigation into the killings, considering the possibility of crimes against humanity.

Throughout her detention, de Lima, isolated from the outside world in a maximum-security center at the capital's police headquarters, continued to voice her opinions on Duterte's governance and the necessity of upholding human rights through handwritten statements released as a senator.

Despite being barred from campaigning during the re-election campaign for the Senate last year, de Lima attempted to make her presence felt by sending a life-size cutout image of herself for her allies to display on the campaign trail. However, she was unsuccessful in her bid for re-election.

De Lima has openly criticized Duterte, accusing him of "demonizing" her and subjecting her to misogynistic attacks that she was unable to address while behind bars. She recounted an incident during her detention when she was held hostage and threatened with her life until being saved by a police negotiator.

As Leila de Lima's release on bail offers a glimmer of hope, the spotlight now shifts to addressing the accountability surrounding her detention and the wider issue of human rights in the Philippines.