‘Dambana ng Paghilom’: A memorial site for the dead and the grieving in Duterte’s drug war

Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Photo courtesy of Fr. Flavie Villanueva" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/12/11/dambana-ng-paghilom-outside.jpg"/><figcaption>Photo courtesy of Fr. Flavie Villanueva</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — On an empty plot inside the La Loma Cemetery in Caloocan will soon rise the country’s first memorial site meant to house the ashes of victims of extrajudicial killings (EJK) under the drug war waged by former President Rodrigo Duterte. It’s a 36-square meter bloc made of rough gravel on the outside with a rounded interior. A big lighted cross spans one side while an eternal flame sits in the middle, underneath the open sky. Inside are 600 vaults which can each house between 4 to 6 urns while chairs are placed outside for visiting families.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Photo courtesy of Fr. Flavie Villanueva" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/12/11/dambana-ng-paghilom-inside.jpg"/><figcaption>Photo courtesy of Fr. Flavie Villanueva</figcaption></figure></div>Designed by Architect Anthony Nazareno and his team, “Dambana ng Paghilom” is meant to serve both those who died under the drug war and the grieving families they left behind. “First, it is to build a facade that is dignified and a sacred space for our beloved dead, lalo’t higit sa mga namatayan at nawalan ng anak, ng asawa or worst, parehong pinatay ang magulang. Pangalawa, it is a sacred space for healing of the trauma, of the grief that they encountered,” said SVD priest Fr. Flavie Villanueva. Villanueva is the founder of The Paghilom Program, which aims to provide psychosocial therapy to widows, orphans and family members of EJK victims. First launched in 2016, Paghilom has now expanded to include exhumation, autopsy and cremation of remains of EJK victims whose leases in the cemeteries have expired and whose families can no longer afford to pay the rent. The urns of several batches of victims have temporarily been turned over to their families but Villanueva hopes that by the time the structure is built before Easter Sunday next year, all the urns will have been housed in the Dambana. But beyond the practical reason, Villanueva said the memorial should serve as an enduring reminder of what the country went through. “Ang Dambana ng Paghilom is a place, a monument that would symbolize glaringly to all, especially to those who have been instruments for the killing, and most especially to the architect of the killings himself and his cohorts, we will never tolerate any more killings. We will hold you accountable,” he said. “This Dambana ng Paghilom is a reason, is a cause, is a legacy that is so tragically facing us today but it will not remain a tragedy. But it will remain a beautiful landmark because at the end of it all, just like our dear families, from ashes they will rise. We too, from our wounds, healing, hope and new life is to be embraced,” he added. The memorial was made possible through a donation from Bishop Pablo Virgilio “Ambo” David of the Diocese of Kalookan, who also serves as the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. During Duterte’s term, Bishop Ambo was outspoken as a critic of the drug war, helping widows and orphans of EJK victims through his own initiatives. Instead of earning “millions” of pesos in the next decades from rent, he donated the space for the memorial. “Ang lugar na ito, nilalaan natin sa mga biktima ng EJK. Ito’y gagawin nating pamhabangbuhay na paalala sa atin na hindi na dapat maulit pa ang bangungot na sinapit ng maraming mga pamilyang Pilipino dahill diumano sa gyera kontra droga ng nakaraang administrasyon. Hindi na dapat maulit dahil hindi ito naaayon sa diwa ng batas sa mga sibilisadong lipunan,” he said during Monday’s groundbreaking ceremony. Present during the event were diplomats from the Netherlands and Germany and a representative from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun, who examined the remains of countless drug war victims, was also present, as were former Vice President Leni Robredo and former Senator Leila de Lima.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former VP Leni Robredo arrives at the La Loma Cemetery for the groundbreaking of the 1st memorial site for drug war extrajudicial victims. She is met by Fr. Flavie Villanueva who is spearheading the “Dambana ng Paghilom” project. <a href="https://t.co/Vs9kvc0YJp">pic.twitter.com/Vs9kvc0YJp</a>— Mike Navallo (@mikenavallo) <a href="https://twitter.com/mikenavallo/status/1734013723105435670?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2023</a></blockquote>“Hindi lang siya magbibigay ng dignidad dun sa mga namatay pero paalala din para sa ating lahat na hindi na natin papayagan ang kultura ng pagpatay. Ito, makakatulong sa kultura ng paghilom ng sugat na naidulot sa mga pamilya na nakasama natin ngayong umaga,” Robredo said. Robredo was briefly appointed co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs but Duterte fired her after he complained that she was talking to the Commission on Human Rights, the United Nations and European countries. De Lima, on the other hand, was recently released on bail after an almost 7-year detention, which she says was because she initiated a probe into the drug war killings as senator in 2016. “Indeed, with this Dambana ng Paghilom, in solidarity and with God’s grace, we can start and enhance the healing of the families of the EJK victims. This is such a momentous occasion,” she said in her speech. “But it is clear: without justice, there can be no genuine and complete healing. That is why, we will continue to fight for justice and push for the International Criminal Court’s continued investigation into the murderous war on drugs by Rodrigo Duterte and to hold his, his and his cohorts and enablers accountable,” she added. The International Criminal Court (ICC) is currently investigating the drug war killings in the country from 2016 until the Philippines’s withdrawal took effect in March 2019. While the Marcos, Jr. administration initially indicated it will end ties with the ICC and will not allow its investigators to set foot in the country, no less than the President himself and the Justice secretary recently changed tune, saying they are studying the possibility of cooperatiing with and rejoining the ICC. For the families of drug war victims, justice is as elusive as their quest to find peace. Randy delos Santos, the uncle of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos who was killed by Caloocan cops in 2017, has long been calling for a truth commission to look into the killings. His nephew, caught on CCTV footage just moments before he was shot, was the first of only a few cases to lead to a conviction of cops. Official figures reported more than 6,000 drug suspects killed in drug operations between July 2016 and June 2022 but human rights groups estimate the total number of EJK victims during Duterte’s term could go as high as 30,000. “Nananawagan po kami, nawa ang dakong ito ay magsilbing palatandaan na may nangyaring malawakang patayan. Sana po itigil na ang pamamaslang, sana po, ibigay ang katarungan para sa aming mga biktima,” he said. Others like young Cristina Abliter, continue to yearn for justice for her slain father. “Mahal na mahal ka po namin, Pa. Palagi ka po naming nami-miss every time I saw your pictures. Lagi akong nagtatanong kung nandito ka, sana nakikita mo achievements na natatanggap namin,” she said. “Pero alam ko, Pa, na masaya ka na dahil nasa maayos kaming kalagayan. Gusto ko lang po sabihin na ikaw po ang pinaka-the best na papa para sa amin. I love you, Pa. I miss you so much. Lagi ka sa puso’t isip namin,” she continued.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Randy delos Santos, uncle of Kian delos Santos, the 17-year-old killed by police officers in Caloocan, calls for the creation of a truth commission. Says the memorial site for drug war victims will serve as a reminder of the quest for justice. <a href="https://t.co/FgVFh7whtv">pic.twitter.com/FgVFh7whtv</a>— Mike Navallo (@mikenavallo) <a href="https://twitter.com/mikenavallo/status/1734033266779533524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2023</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2898668" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

A big lighted cross spans one side while an eternal flame sits in the middle, underneath the open sky.

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‘Dambana ng Paghilom’: A memorial site for the dead and the grieving in Duterte’s drug war

‘Dambana ng Paghilom’: A memorial site for the dead and the grieving in Duterte’s drug war

Mike Navallo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 12, 2023 01:36 AM PHT

Read More:

Caloocan

La Loma Cemetery

Dambana ng Paghilom

EJK

extrajudicial killings

Rodrigo Duterte

war on drugs

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