By Marita Moaje and Filane Mikee Cervantes
MANILA – Families of extrajudicial killing (EJK) victims under the previous administration’s drug war gathered on Tuesday for a thanksgiving Mass following the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte through a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Fr. Bong Sarabia said the Mass, held at the Ina ng Lupang Pangako Parish in Payatas, Quezon City, was attended by those who lost a family member during Duterte’s war on drugs.
“Isa itong misa, papasalamat sa malaking sorpresa, actually makasaysayang sorpresa ito na nadakip at na-offer na yung warrant of arrest kay Presidente Duterte (This is a mass of thanksgiving for a huge surprise, a historic surprise that Duterte has been arrested and his warrant of arrest has been served),” Sarabia told reporters.
“At possible na tuloy-tuloy na ang kaso sa International Criminal Court at taon na ng jubileo, kalayaan, at hustisya lalong-lalo na para sa mga EJK families na nagsurvive (And it’s possible that the case at the International Criminal Court will now proceed—this is the year of jubilee, freedom, and justice, especially for EJK families who survived),” the priest said.
Teresita Campos, 75, whose son Jonald was killed in 2016 after being accused of selling illegal drugs, said justice had finally been served.
“Nabigyan po ng katarungan ang pagkamatay ng anak ko (Justice has been served for my son’s death),” she said.
Campos recalled being called from home one evening and arriving at the place where she found her son dead.
Jonald was accused of involvement in illegal drugs, but she maintained that there was no truth to the claim, which was made because of his association with some people.
Campos said Duterte must answer for the suffering inflicted on families like hers.
“Maikulong po siya [Duterte]. Yun lang po. Magbayad po siya sa kasalanan niya (He should be imprisoned. That’s all. He must pay for his crimes),” she said.
Maria Belen Daa, 70, lost her son Marcelo Jr. in 2016 during a police operation that also killed four other men.
Daa believed Duterte should be held accountable for the killing, arguing that those targeted in his drug war could have been given a chance to reform instead of facing deadly consequences.
“Pagbayaran niya lahat yung mga dapat pagbayaran niya (He should pay for everything he needs to pay for),” Daa said.
“Dahil yung mga tao doon, pwede naman ikulong yon. Dapat hindi niya pinapatay (Because those people could have just been jailed. He didn’t have to kill them),” she added.
Leonila Aguilar, 75, whose son-in-law Dante Santos was found in a morgue in 2017, expressed hope that Duterte would serve time in prison.
“Ngayon nagpapasalamat ako na nahuli na si Duterte (I’m now thankful that Duterte has been arrested),” Aguilar said.
Sarabia underscored the significance of the former president’s arrest for the Catholic Church and the EJK victims’ families.
“Well, talagang hinihiling namin hustisya. Talagang maikulong na si Duterte (We are truly asking for justice. Duterte should be imprisoned),” he said. “Malaman na yung mga karumaldumal na pangyayari dito sa ating bansa (So that people will finally know the heinous crimes committed in our country).”
“Matagal na kaming nakikilakbay sa mga pamilya ng EJK victims. We were doing counseling para sa mga biktima ng EJK (We have long journeyed with the families of EJK victims. We were doing counseling for EJK victims),” the priest added.
The ICC issued the warrant of arrest against Duterte for crimes against humanity linked to thousands of drug war deaths. (PNA)
