Every year, families who visit the Dambana ng Paghilom, the memorial site for victims of alleged extrajudicial killings (EJK), light candles, say prayers, and express hope for justice for their loved ones.
According to a “24 Oras” report by Mariz Umali, some families have become more optimistic that justice is at hand because of the congressional investigation of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
The memorial at the La Loma Cemetery in Caloocan City serves as the final resting place of some of the EJK victims.
Among the visitors on November 1 was Roan Codillo Cedillo, sister of an EJK victims,
“Nagdadasal po kami na sana malutas na po yung patayan nung 2016… hinahangad po namin yung hustisya ng mga mahal namin sa buhay (We pray for the resolution of the killings in 2016, our family seeks justice for my brother’s death.)
At the Tala Cemetery, Jimmy Segovia also prays for justice for his 17-year-old son, Jonel and his friends Sonny Espinosa and Angelito Soriano, who were killed in a police operation on December 28, 2016.
Segovia said the investigation on the drug war gave him fresh hopes that justice would be served to his son and his friends.
“Para akong kandilang nalusaw, tumulo luha ko siya pinakamaraming tama, 13 sunud sunod (I felt like a candle melting, tears fell when I found out my son sustained 13 gun shots),” he said.
“Nararamdaman ko mabibigyan kami ng hustisya. Nabubuhayan po (I feel my son will be served justice),” he added.
Beside Jonel’s grave were his friends Espinosa and Soriano.
On Friday, a lay minister blessed the tombs with holy water as he went around the memorial.
Meanwhile, security was tight at the cemetery as visitors continued to troop to visit their departed loved ones.
Medical and rescue teams went around to provide first aid and blood pressure checks.
Still at Tala Cemetery, some coffins were found destroyed, including one buried in 2022, after the concrete covering it caved in.
“Posibleng substandard pagkakagawa sa nitso kulang sa bakal posible kinuha rin ang bakal, may yero pati yero kinuha.,” said Mark Natividad of Kabalikat Civicom.
(It’s possible that the work done on the grave was substandard, there could be missing steel bars, or the steel could have been stolen.)
He said his group would coordinate with the management of the cemetery to address the matter.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
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