Kidnapped? Kin of EJK victims say Duterte alive, got due process

The families of the victims of the past administration's war on drugs took exception to the statements made by former President Rodrigo Duterte's children that he was kidnapped following his arrest on a warrant from the International Criminal Court.

At a news conference on Wednesday, Llore Pasco–mother of the slain Crisanto and Juan Carlos Lozano–indicated that the statements are making it appear that the Duterte family was being oppressed.

“Nakakatawa yung mga pino-post ng mga anak... Pakiramdam nila sila yung inapi. Pero hindi nila naranasan yung aming naranasan,” she said.

(It’s funny what his children are posting online… They feel like they are the ones being oppressed. But they never experienced what we went through.)

“Yung sakit na dinanas namin na hindi namin nakita sa loob ng walong araw. Sobrang parang nagdadalamhati ka, hindi mo na maramdaman. Yung nararamdaman mo, galit na. Ganun ba yung pakiramdam nila? Ang kanila ano lang e, paawa effect,” she added.

(The anguish we suffered when we could not find the body of our loved one for eight days. It’s like you’re grief is so much that you can no longer feel anything. What you feel is anger. Is that what [the Duterte family] feels? The way we see it they just want people to pity them.)

Pasco made the remarks when the victims’ families were asked about the statements attributed to Duterte's children that he was "kidnapped."

Dahlia Cuartero— mother of EJK victim Jesus Cuartero Jr.— pointed out the older Duterte experienced a better fate compared to the victims who died in his drug war without due process.

“Samantalang yung tatay niya, buhay, maganda ang sinapit sa paghuli sa kaniya. Samantalang yung mga anak namin walang due process na nakukuha,” she said.

(Meanwhile, her father is alive, he was treated fairly when he was arrested. In our case, our children never received due process.)

“Noong nakita ko yung post niya nakakagigil silang mag-pamilya. Parang inaapi sila. Na kung tutuusin sila ang nang-aapi sa mga mahihirap. Parang nanghihingi pa sila ng simpatya sa mga Pilipino na talagang inaapi sila,” she added.

(When I saw her post, it made me angry at their family. It’s as though they are being persecuted. But in fact, they are the ones oppressing the poor. They are asking for sympathy from Filipinos as though they are under persecution.)

GMA News Online has sought comments from the family and close associates of the former president but they have yet to provide a statement as of posting time.

While Duterte has insisted he was not responsible for any unlawful deaths, police estimate killing 6,000 people in his anti-drug campaign.

But rights groups say many thousands of other murders of mostly poor men remain unexplained, with ICC prosecutors placing the death toll at 12,000-30,000.

Meanwhile, Jane Lee— widow of EJK victim Michael Lee— said Kitty Duterte should stop making claims on behalf of her father as she is not familiar with legal matters.

“Sinasabi nila na kinidnap ‘yung tatay niya. Wala pong katotohahanan ‘yan dahil dumaan na naman po talaga sa proseso yung pagkakaaresto sa tatay niya,” she said.

(They are claiming that her father was kidnapped. There is no truth to that because her father’s arrest went through an actual process.)

“Huwag na po siyang makisimpatya pa dahil katulad namin hindi rin naman niya alam yung mga legal na usapin between ICC, Interpol, government,” she added.

(She should stop asking for sympathy because just like us, she does understand the legal matters between the International Criminal Court, the International Criminal Police Organization, and the government.)

While acknowledging Kitty's sadness over Duterte’s arrest, Lee believes the former president is responsible for the deaths of their loved ones and that he should be made to answer the crimes he is being accused of.

“Siguro dahil anak siya, siyempre yung lungkot nandoon pa rin pero mas matimbang pa rin talaga yung katotohanan na may kasalanan ang tatay niya at dapat managot,” she said.

(Maybe because she is his child, of course, there is sadness, but there is more weight in the truth that her father committed crimes for which he should be held accountable.)

“Hindi kami matitinag sa kung anuman ang gusto niyang sabihin dahil yung sa amin po pinatay. ‘Yung sa amin po walang awa nilang binaboy, hindi makatao at hanggang ngayon hindi maayos ang kalagayan ng pamilya ng biktima,” she added.

(We will not be swayed by whatever she wants to say because our loved ones were killed. They were slain in a brutal, inhumane manner and until now, the victims’ families are not alright.)— RF, GMA Integrated News