Mothers share painful stories of funeral parlors profiting from killings

Photos of killings in the Philippines' bloody drug war have made international headlines. But for the families of those slain, the tragedy extends beyond the initial shock of death.

Five mothers shared their long, painful ordeal after their children were killed during a forum organized by the Voices of Women for Justice and Peace Network.

For Kathy Bautista, the nightmare began at the police station. Her son John Jezreel David, 21, went missing for two days and was found dead in Binondo on the morning of January 21. Bautista was adamant that her son did not use illegal drugs. She was horrified at the thought that he would be killed in an anti-drug operations.

He was not listed in police logbooks, but they were told by an inmate detained at Police Station 11 that he might have been one of the three men found dead in the Delpan area. Bautista claims that her son was shot kneeling and handcuffed in the back of a warehouse.

"'Yong anak ko raw po nakuha sa ilalim ng van, kasi nakaluhod daw pong pinatay, binaril. After that daw po ng ilang minutes, humarang daw ng dalawang sidecar. Sinakay po nila 'yong mga bangkay na parang baboy lang, pinagpatong 'yong dalawa. 'Yong anak ko po solo sa isang sidecar kasi matangkad siya," she detailed.

The bodies were then taken to Justice Abad Santos Mother & Child Hospital. She claimed that CCTV footage showed how the police had even used her son's motorcycle.

She went from station to station looking for her son, only to be directed to a funeral parlor that demanded they pay P15,000 to have Jezreel's remains pulled out.

"N'ong time po na kukunin namin sa punerarya, nalaman po namin na 'yong may ari ng Cruz Funeral nagtratrabaho po na pulis sa Station 11," Bautista said. "Lahat daw po nang natotokhang na kunyari accredited nila, d'on po dinadala sa Cruz Funeral."

Jezreel was buried in February, but Bautista says the intimidation has continued. Bautista said that they received a subpoena, charging Jezreel with homicide and summoning her husband.

Bautista's husband Dennise along with Normita Lopez, mother to two victims of extrajudicial killings, filed a case against several police officers last September.

Suspicious practices

Lopez continues to grieve for her son, Djastin Lopez, who died at 25 allegedly at the mercy of the police in Tondo. His body was found on the rail tracks.

Lopez admits that her son, who is epileptic, uses illegal drugs.

Witnesses claim that his hands were already up in surrender when they heard him saying, "Huwag po, huwag po. Suko na po ako."

Lopez said police they shot him in the chest multiple time. When he fell, they started slapping his face to check if he was still alive. She claims that they shot him again.

"N'ong nabalitaan po namin na napatay 'yong anak ko, tumatakbo na po ako sa riles. Ang nakapagtataka po habang tumatakbo ako, mayroon na pong ambulansiya d'on ng Arkanghel po daw 'yon," she recalled.

"Gan'on na po ba talaga? May mga taga-punerarya na, nag-aabang na para sa papatayin ng mga pulis na 'yan?"

Llore Pasco, who lost two sons to the drug war, had the same grievance against funeral parlors.

Like Lopez, Pasco admits that her sons Crisanto (33) and Juan Carlos (31) were forced by circumstances to get involved in illegal drugs. She said they wanted to get out, but found it difficult to break the cycle and had trouble finding employment.

Pasco claims her sons were abducted. She was able to confirm their deaths when she was shown pictures at Camp Karingal. Authorities informed her that the bodies were sent to Light Funeral.

The funeral parlor had two branches, Kamias and Roosevelt, both of which she visited. Both denied having the body and Pasco would later be directed to Archangel Funeral in Parañaque.

It took eight days to find and fight for the bodies.

"Walong araw namin pinaglaban sila, kasi d'on sa punerarya sinisingil kami ng P112,000 para sa dalawa. Sabi namin, saan naming kamay ng Panginoon kukunin 'yon, e wala naman talaga kaming pera?" Pasco said.

Pasco wanted to take the bodies and bring them to St. Peter's as the two were under an insurance plan, but the funeral parlor insisted that they had the right to process the bodies and that she should pay them for their service.

"Sabi nila, dahil dinala doon, sila 'yong may karapatan na mag-autopsy at mag-embalm ng katawan nila," she shared.

"Ito 'yong mga karanasan natin dito [mula sa] mga pulis na walanghiya hanggang sa punerarya na isa pa ring mga ganid. [Kasama] pala sila d'on ... 'yong mga pulis, may mamatay pa lang o kaya may operasyon pa lang, nakaabang na pala sila," Pasco said, speculating that the police would contact funeral parlors ahead of planned operations.

"Imbes na nagdadalamahati ka, sobrang galit ang nararamdaman mo sa sarili mo," she added.

Bautista, Lopez, Pasco together with Mary Ann Domingo and Eugenia Bay-ao will be joining a mass for the victims of the war on drugs at San Isidro Labrador Parish on October 31.

They encourage members of the public who are honoring the dead on All Saints' Day to light a red candle for the slain. —JST, GMA News