Fr. Flavie Villanueva leads the inurnment of victims of Extra Judicial Killings (EJK) under the the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte during the launching of the “Dambana Ng Paghilom” a memorial for thousands of victims of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal war on drugs at La Loma Catholic Cemetery in Caloocan city, north of Manila on May 1.
The site was donated by the Archdiocese of Caloocan city under Bishop Pablo Virgilio “Ambo” David.
Eleven urns of victims were initially inurned. Dambana has 100 vaults and can hold as many a 600 urns.
Representing Bishop Ambo, Fr. Jerome Cruz said Dambana is more than just a stone structure. “It tells of lives cut short because of human injustices.”
At the same time, he said the coming together of persons representing various organizations for the inauguration is a statement to fight for truth and justice.
Fr. Flavie said Dambana is “a landmark to remember the injustices of the war-on-drugs of the Duterte administration and to celebrate our people’s prophetic faith that will not be silenced.”
Among the guests were families of victims of the drug war, former senator Leila De Lima, hounded and imprisoned by Duterte for her investigation of Duterte’s war on drugs, and Sen. Risa Hontiveros. Members of the diplomatic community who support Program Paghilom include ambassadors Luc Veron of the European Union, Netherland’s Marielle Geraedts, United Kingdom’s Laure Beaufils, Germany’s Andreas Pfaffernoschke.
Photos and video by Bullit Marquez.
