Duterte’s arrest won’t undo the pain – drug war victims

TRIAD CONNECTION. Former President Rodrigo R. Duterte shows a copy of a diagram showing the connection of high level drug syndicates operating in the country during a press conference at Malacañang on July 7, 2016. KING RODRIGUEZ/Presidential Photographers Division

By Filane Mikee Cervantes, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – Families of victims killed in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs said his arrest was a step toward justice but could never undo the suffering and loss they endured.

Duterte was arrested upon arrival in Manila from Hong Kong, where he was met with a warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his role in alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) committed during his administration’s war on drugs.

Human rights groups estimate that more than 30,000 people were killed during the drug war, many of them accused without evidence and executed without trial.

For the families left behind, the damage has already been done, and the arrest is not enough to make up for what they lost.

“Mabuti pa siya, inaresto pa lang. Ang aming mga kaanak, pinatay agad (At least he was only arrested. Our loved ones were killed on the spot),” said Amy Jane Lee, whose husband Michael was killed in a drug-related shooting in 2017.

Dahlia Cuartero, whose son Jesus was a drug war victim, said she felt mixed emotions upon learning of Duterte’s arrest.

“Walang katumbas ang saya ang naramdaman ko ngayon, kasabay ng pagluha dahil sa saya sa pag-aresto kay Duterte (I felt unparalleled happiness today, along with tears of joy over Duterte’s arrest),” Cuartero said.

Rise Up, a group advocating for drug war victims, said the arrest should not stop with Duterte.

The group demanded accountability for police officers and government officials who carried out the drug war of the previous administration.

“Panawagan namin na kung ano ang ginawa ni Duterte sa aming pamilya, sana maramdaman mo rin ang sakit na aming dinaranas (We call for Duterte to feel the pain we have endured),” the group said in a statement.

“Maniningil ang taumbayan lalo na kaming mga pamilya ng mga naging biktima. Kaya sisingilin ka na ng taumbayan (The people will hold you accountable, especially we, the families of the victims. Justice will come for you),” it added.