Kin of alleged EJK victim cry for justice at People Power day gathering

A grieving family sought justice for a slain uncle during the 31st anniversary of the People Power Revolution on Saturday.

The loved ones of Eric "Brader" Tapang proudly held up a banner bearing his photo at the People Power Monument, where thousands gathered to protest various issues under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

"Thou shall not kill," the banner read.

Lorraine, Tapang's niece, said that her uncle was shot 18 times by unidentified gunmen in front of their residence in Sampaloc district in Manila.

Their barangay and the Manila Police District had already issued a certificate saying that Tapang had never been involved in illegal drugs, which made them question the motives of the killers.

"Hindi siya drug-related...wala din siyang kaaway," Lorraine said.

Lorraine took the opportunity to protest the human rights abuses happening in the Philippines.

She expressed alarm at the number of alleged extrajudicial killing victims in the span of eight months under the Duterte administration as opposed to the victims of human rights abuses under the Martial Law regime.

"Imagine, ilang taon naglingkod si Marcos, 3,000 lang ang namatay. [Si Duterte] ilang buwan pa lang siya, 7,000 na," she said.

She added that she can no longer tolerate the spate of killings in the country.

"Mali na talaga ang patayan na nangyayari sa atin...hindi na pwedeng i-tolerate," she said. —ALG, GMA News