Families of drug war victims mark Undas by seeking justice
Families of the victims of the government's drug war on Oct. 30 gathered at the Most Holy Trinity Parish in Manila to remember their departed kins and demand justice for them.
Baigani, a women’s advocacy group critical of extrajudicial killings organized the “Padasal Para sa mga Pinaslang: Undas ng Kababaihan” to support and condole with the families of the drug war victims.
Poems and songs on culture of impunity were recited and sang, respectively by the artists in the gathering.
Lea (not her real name), member of Baigani and resident of Camarin, Caloocan, said the group has become her new family after the tragic death of his husband that was related to the drug war.
"I almost went insane, that I even thought of ending my life, as well as my children's, to end our misery," Lea said in an interview with Rappler.
Lea said her fellow widows gave her strength amid the tragedy she is going through.
“For the first time, I am able to speak without others judging me. I am with people who understand me,” she said.
Philippine National Police data shows 3,800 died in the anti-drug operations from July 2016 to Oct. 10, the day Duterte tasked the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to lead the campaign against drugs.
Human rights groups, however, claim that the death toll has reached 13,000.
The police has repeatedly asserted that it does not sanction summary killings of drug suspects and that those slain in drug war had put up violent resistance.