Families of Drug War Victims Fight Disinformation, Seek Justice

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

Families of victims of alleged human rights violations under former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration vowed to continue their fight for justice despite facing a surge of disinformation from his supporters.

Nanay Llore Pasco, whose two sons were killed in the government’s “tokhang” operations in 2017, said attacks against her and other victims’ families intensified after Duterte’s arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC) through Interpol on March 11.

She pointed to a social media post where a user falsely claimed to be her neighbor.

“We are ready to continue the fight despite the mudslinging from the Duterte camp,” Pasco said during a virtual press conference hosted by the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP).

“Personally, there have been posts spreading on social media, laced with bad words. One night, I couldn’t sleep from worrying about why they were doing this to me. But despite everything, I still attend meetings and speak up,” she added.

Victims’ Families Face Threats Amid Disinformation

Pasco described the disinformation campaign as a setback for victims’ families, adding to the trauma of losing their loved ones.

“We welcomed the arrest, but here come the trolls and fake news, making our hearts heavy. Personally, I couldn’t sleep because of the trauma. Maybe when I go out later, someone will harass me because my name and address were exposed,”she said.

She recalled a post where she was called “ate” and told her children deserved to die.

“Is that right? If that happened to them, how would they feel?” she asked.

Deacon Rubilyn Litao of Rise Up for Life and Rights, a coalition of families of drug war victims and human rights advocates, said their group had to visit a mother who was being harassed online.

“We tried to get the facts and details. Right now, while we are having this press conference, there’s a sister receiving negative posts, and she is very much affected, like Pasco,” Litao said.

She added that the families speaking out are now being targeted.

“When the families presented themselves, they shared their narratives, they told the world the truth about what happened to their loved ones. We have identified that those attacking them are from the Duterte camp,” she said.

Pasco also said threats have come not just from strangers but even from her own relatives.

“What’s saddening is that people of my own blood are telling me bad things. For us victims, it has become difficult and heavy on us. But even if it feels heavy, I keep fighting because if I don’t, who will? I will lose. We will lose,” she said.

Opposing Duterte’s Possible Temporary Release

Pasco criticized Duterte for portraying himself as a victim.

“We are already victims, yet we are being victimized even more because Duterte claims he is the victim. But the truth is, we are the victims—the families of those who were slain,” she said.

She warned that an interim or temporary release for Duterte would endanger victims’ families.

“Allowing Duterte to return to the Philippines would be a huge security threat for us victims seeking justice for our loved ones. We will never allow that,” she said.

She reaffirmed their commitment to cooperating with the ICC to hold Duterte, his generals, police officers, and others accountable for what she called a “fake war on illegal drugs.”

Pasco also urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to rejoin the ICC, a move victims’ families believe is necessary to achieve justice.