Dawn comes for relatives of drug war victims

MANILA, Philippines — For victims of Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal crackdown on illegal drugs, his arrest yesterday was like the break of dawn.

“This is it!” Llore Pasco thought upon learning of Duterte’s arrest based on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Pasco is one of the complainants in the case of crimes against humanity against Duterte.

Asked for comment, Pasco told The STAR in Filipino that she was feeling a mixture of emotions.

Pasco said in Filipino that “dawn has come, a glimmer of hope can be seen, that we victims will soon achieve the long-awaited justice.”

“I hope the developments today will continue, until Duterte is imprisoned, and he and his accomplices are held accountable for their crimes,” Pasco said.

Pasco is the mother of Crisanto and Juan Carlos Lozano, who were killed by police over an alleged holdup in Quezon City in May 2017.

Pasco earlier shared how the funeral home charged them P75,000 for the release of her sons’ bodies. The funeral home was reportedly owned by a police officer. She has also showed the poems she wrote as part of her healing from trauma.

“What hurts the most is that this fake war on drugs – which killed thousands – only targeted the poor,” Pasco wrote in her poem translated here in English.

“But let us not be afraid, my fellow victims. The time of judgement is near! Duterte will be tried for his evil deeds. Let us all celebrate this upcoming victory!” she added in her poem written in 2021.

Speaking in a protest action at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City yesterday, Randy delos Santos said Duterte has the right to due process, the same right victims of his drug war were deprived of. Randy was the uncle of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos, who was killed by Caloocan police in 2017.  Kian’s case was the first-ever murder conviction in relation to the drug war.

“When I heard of the news of his arrest, I felt bad for him, because of his age and his supposed ailment. He may soon have a neck brace and wheelchair,” Delos Santos said in Filipino, taking a swipe at politicians who resorted to using the same tack to evade detention. Delos Santos is now a field coordinator for the church-based rehabilitation program Paghilom.

“He has the right to get a good lawyer and defend himself. But were our loved ones given that right before they were killed? Let us not forget the widespread killings during his time. We, the families of the victims, are still alive and well. Please consider our plight,” he added.

Immeasurable joy

In a statement, the Rise Up for Life and for Rights, a coalition of families of victims of extrajudicial killings, said Duterte’s arrest “gives us immeasurable joy and immense hope that justice for victims will prevail in the end.”

“The happiness I feel right now is incomparable,” said Dahlia Cuartero, whose son was killed during a drug operation in 2016.

“He is lucky, he was only arrested by the police, while our relatives were killed. There is a huge difference between the powerful and ordinary people like us,” said Jane Lee, whose husband was also killed in a police operation.