The scales of justice have finally evened out upon the release from “vexatious restraint” of Atty. Gigi Reyes, almost eight years after her principal, former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, was released from prison for “humanitarian reasons”.

It is a cruel travesty of justice for a subaltern to suffer continuing detention while the primary accused has been granted liberty much earlier pending criminal prosecution.

But what is even more of a charade is the interminable solitary confinement of former Senator Leila de Lima for trumped up drug charges.

It must be recalled that de Lima has already been acquitted of one of the three cases and that principal prosecution witnesses in the two other pending cases have voluntarily recanted for having been coerced to testify, and the other witnesses have failed to pin down de Lima.

De Lima must at least be released on bail as her prolonged detention is inordinately odious.

EDCEL C. LAGMAN