Tears of joy for drug war victims’ families over Duterte arrest

There were still tears left to cry for the families of those who were killed during Rodrigo Duterte's drug war, but now they are tears of joy and relief, in the aftermath of his arrest over alleged crimes against humanity.

“Pumunta ako agad sa picture ng asawa ako at iyak ako nang iyak. Nakuha na ang hustisya dahil nahuli na si Duterte. Kahit walang kasalanan, pinapatay niya,” said Mila David at the thanksgiving Mass at the Ina ng Lupang Pangako Parish in Quezon City after Duterte’s arrest.

(I rushed to my husband's photo and I cried and cried. Justice is somehow served because Duterte has been arrested. He kills innocent people.)

Her husband Armando was shot dead by gunmen wearing masks and police uniforms who stormed their house.

“Hindi dapat pinapatay iyong gumagamit ng droga. Dapat pinapa-rehab o kinukulong kasi magbabago naman ang tao. Ang asawa ko pumasok sa rehab para magbago pero kasama pa rin siya sa pinatay ni Duterte. Kaya maraming salamat, Panginoon, na dininig mo ang hiling namin na magkaroon ng hustisya ang mahal namin sa buhay,” David added.

(People who use drugs should not be killed. They should been sent to rehab or jail, because a person can change. My husband went into rehab and changed his ways but he was still among those Duterte had killed. So, I thank the Lord that he heard our plea for justice for our loved ones.) 

The former president was arrested early Tuesday morning on his return to the Philippines on the basis of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court in relation to his drug war, which claimed the lives of thousands of Filipinos during his term.

“Sana tuloy-tuloy na na para makulong si Duterte habambuhay para mapagbayaran niya lahat ng kasalanan niya. Sana humaba ang buhay niya para mapagbayaran niya lahat ng kasalanan niya,” David said.

(I hope this ends with Duterte in prison for life. I wish him a long life so he will be able to pay for his crimes.)

Josephine Comendo, whose 35-year-old son Anthony was shot dead by the police during Duterte's term, was also in tears. Life for her remains tough without her son.

“Ako po ay natutuwa dahil nagbigyan na po ng katarungan 'yung pagkamatay ng aking anak,” she said.

(I am happy that justice for my son's death has been achieved.)

Anthony, who painted houses on call, was one of five people who were shot by the police in an anti-drug operation in Payatas in 2017. The lone survivor was Efren Murillo, who played dead to survive the carnage.

“Nagmamakaawa iyong anak ko na huwag siyang patayin. Marami pong anak iyon eh. Anim. Lola po ako, biyuda na. Ako po ang tumataguyod,” Comendo added.

(My son was pleading for his life. He has a lot of kids, six of them. I look after them all now.)

“Iyong isa, graduate na ng Grade 12, gusto mag-aral, hindi ko mapaaral. Iyong isa, graduating ng Grade 10 pero hindi makatuloy tuloy sa pag-aaral kasi kulang sa budget po,” she added.

(One graduated Grade 12 but I don't have enough to send the child to college. The other one was supposed to graduate Grade 10 but we really don't have the money.)

Maria Belen Daa, whose 31-year-old son was killed in the same police operation, also welcomed the news and remains indignant at Duterte and the police's claim that the only ones who were killed were those who resisted arrest.

“Masaya na rin ako na nakulong siya,” Daa said.

(I am happy that he is now in jail.)

“Iyong mga pulis, sasabihin nila na nanlaban iyong mga tao. Hindi nila alam na mamamatay sila dahil naglalaro sila ng bilyar! Hindi nanlaban ang mga tao sa bundok! Bakit sila nagsinungaling? Dapat sabihin nila ang totoo!” Daa added.

(The police will always say that the victims resisted arrest. They did not nkow they were going to be killed that day, they were just playing billiards! They did not resist arrest! Why are the police lying? They should tell the truth.)

Lorna Pepaño, 71, lost her son Christian, 39, due to false identification by the police. She said she has forgiven Duterte but stressed that forgiveness does not mean he should avoid prison.

“Nangyari na iyon. Hindi na maibabalik iyong nangyari. Magpatawad tayo. Kahit masakit sa loob natin iyong nangyari, kailangan magpatawad tayo, kasi hindi tayo aakyat [sa langit] kung hindi tayo magpapatawad. [Pero] bahala na ang hustisya sa kanya, at ang Diyos na rin,” Pepaño said.

(What is done is done. We cannot turn back time. We should forgive even if it hurts because otherwise, we won't ascend to heaven. But justice and God will take care of Duterte.)

“Gugulong naman ang hustisya. Hindi naman kami pababayaan ng Panginoon dahil kailangan niya panagutan iyong mga ginawa niya. Unfair sa aming pamilya. Ang anak ko ay hindi adik, hindi niya alam kung ano iyong droga. Pinagbabaril na lang siya [ng pulis] dahil sa quota, quota raw. Kasi nung tumembwang na siya, ang sabi ng pulis, ay, pare, hindi pala ito ang target natin,” Pepaño added. 

(The wheels of justice will turn. God won't forsake us because Duterte needs to answer for his crimes. It was unfair to our family. My son was not a drug addict. He did not know how to use drugs. They rained bullets on him because the police needed to meet a quota for a reward. But when my son was turned upside down after being killed, the gunmen said, oh, this person was not our target.) — BM, GMA Integrated News