Tindig Pilipinas lights candles, offers prayers for EJK victims

Cause-oriented group Tindig Pilipinas on Wednesday night held a protest and candlelight vigil to protest the rampant extrajudicial killings under the current administration related to its war on illegal drugs.

The activity was held in Barangay Malanday in Marikina City where Michelle Merguillano was shot by armed men in front of her children, GMA News' Jamie Santos reported on Balitaghali on Thursday

Merguillano was breastfeeding her child when unidentified men came, took the child away from her,  and shot her point-blank in March.

Former Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman and former Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos-Deles were present in the event. Both believe the government could not deny that EJKs do not exist.

Soliman said instead of perpetrating such killings or hunting down drug suspects, the government should instead focus on rehabilitation.

"Ihinto na ito. Hindi solusyon ang pagpatay. Marami na po kaming naalagaan na drug drependent na nabago ang buhay," Soliman said.

Deles, for her part, said Tindig Pilipinas is non-partisan and merely wants the government to recognize the value of life.

"Pinaglalaban ay ang kahalagahan ng buhay. Kung anumang sabihin, kung pulitika ba 'yan, pulitika ng pagkilala sa bahay, paghahalaga sa buhay 'yan," Deles said.

The group is in favor of ending illegal drug use in the Philippines, but Fr. Manoling Francisco said it is strongly opposed to the lack of due process in current anti-drug operations.

"Hindi ibig sabihin na dahil tinututulan natin ang kawalan ng due process sa pagpatay ng ating mga kapitbahay, na tinututulan o tayo ay kumukupkop sa mga drug pushers at drug manufacturers," he said.

"Tinututulan natin ang paglaganap ng droga, subalit tinututulan rin natin ang kawalan ng due process," he continued.

Josephine Alcanar, one of the attendees, said she is seeking justice for his son, a former drug user who was among the EJK victims.

"Hanggang ngayon hindi ko pa po matanggap talaga ang nangyari sa kanya. Panganay ko pong anak siya, 29 anyos. May anak po siyang special child. Sino na po ang mag-aaruga doon sa anak niya? Sino na ang mag-iintindi? Wala na siya," Alcanar said.

A Pulse Asia survey result released on Tuesday indicated that 73 percent of Filipinos believe that EJKs are happening in the implementation of the Duterte administration's war on drugs. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News