Former President Rodrigo Duterte (PPAB)

Former president Rodrigo Duterte, in his first appearance at the House quad-committee (quad-comm), faced several relatives of victims of alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during his administration’s war on drugs.

Duterte arrived at 9:57 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13 at the People’s Center in the House of Representatives while  mass paying tribute to the victims of EJKs was being held.

Around 200 relatives of the drug war victims took part in the mass.

The quad-comm had invited Duterte to shed light on his administration’s brutal war on drugs.

The mass for the victims of alleged extrajudicial killings under Duterte’s war on drugs (PPAB)

Also present in the hearing were three persons whose loved ones were reportedly killed by policemen during anti-drug operations.

Christina Pascual, mother of the 17-year-old Joshua Laxamana who died during the war on drugs, lamented that his son was among the innocent lives lost.

“Parang gano’n lang po ang napaglaruan ‘yung buhay ng mga mahal namin sa buhay,” said Pascual.

(It's like the lives of our loved ones were toyed with.)

“Kaya lang po lumalakas lang din ang loob namin, ito na lang po ‘yung paraan sa kamukha naming mga mahihirap kung paano po manawagan sa inyo na buksan niyo ang puso niyo,” she said to Duterte.

(That's why we are being more courageous, this is the only way for us poor people to call you to open your heart.)

Llore Pasco, a mother whose two sons were killed, complained about the lack of any serious investigation into EJKs.

“Syempre natatakot po kami, pero ngayon po ay kaharap na po namin si Presidente Duterte, at sana po ay hinihiling namin na talagang lumabas po ang buong  katotohanan,” Pasco said.

(Of course we are afraid, but now we are facing President Duterte, and we hope that the whole truth will come out.)

“Para po magkaroon na ng katarungan lahat ng mga pinaslang, hindi lang po ang aking anak, kundi lahat po ng pinaslang noong panahon ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, ‘yung madugong patayan po ng war on drugs,” she added.

(So that there will be justice for all those who were killed, not only my son, but all those who were killed during the term of President Rodrigo Duterte, the bloody killings during the war on drugs.)

Maryann Domingo, whose husband and son were also killed in a police operation, said that justice for her loved ones has long been delayed.

“Kaya nandito po kami na sana mabigyan kami ng hustisya,” said Domingo.

(That's why we are here hoping that justice will be granted to us.)

Based on estimates by human rights organizations, as many as 30,000 people died during the previous administration’s war on drugs.