Relatives of extrajudicial killings (EJK) victims gathered at the Dambana ng Paghilom (Shrine of Healing) in La Loma Cemetery in Caloocan City on Friday, March 14 for the inurnment of 18 of their loved ones.
The families turned emotional as they mourned their loved ones during the ceremony in which they renewed their call for justice.
On March 11, former President Rodrigo Duterte was transported to The Hague in the Netherlands following his arrest on the charges of crimes against humanity. He appeared before the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday.
Duterte was alleged to be the mastermind of the extrajudicial killings during his administration’s war on drugs.
For the families of the victims, Duterte’s arrest is a step closer to justice.
“Matatanggap na ng anak ko ang hustisya niya. Hindi lang sa anak ko, kundi sa iba niyang pinagpapatay na tao (My son will receive his justice. Not just for my son, but for the other people he killed),” said Crispin Cena.
“Gusto ko mangyari rin sa kanya ang ginawa niya sa anak ko. Marami siyang pinapatay (I want what he did to my son to happen to him. He ordered to kill a lot of people),” Gloria de Jesus added.
“Kulang pa rin ang buhay niya para sa amin, kasi sa dami namin. Katulad ng asawa ko, di naman adik. Di naman addict lahat iyan, (His life is still not enough for us, because there are so many of us. Like my husband, he's not an addict. Not all of them are addicts),” Maria Tion said.
While the families admitted that the trial in the ICC will take a long time, they believe that Duterte’s arrest was a significant first step towards achieving justice for the deaths of their loved ones.
They also expressed hope that other individuals responsible for the extrajudicial killings would be held accountable.