The article recounts the grief of Llore Pasco, whose sons Crisanto and Juan Carlos were murdered during the Philippine government's war on drugs. Nearly eight years later, she still mourns their brutal deaths. The arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte has reignited hope for justice among victims' families. Pasco represents a group advocating for accountability against officials involved in extrajudicial killings. The International Criminal Court's involvement has given renewed vigor to their fight, reflecting the lasting trauma endured by families like Pasco's.
I felt so nervous and scared, but also excited, said Pasco, a part-time food vendor and massage therapist. My eyes were filled with tears. At long last, after so many years of waiting, it's happening. This is it, she told Al Jazeera.
The International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued the arrest warrant for Duterte, was her one last hope for justice, said Pasco, a leading member of Rise Up for Life and for Rights, a group of mothers and wives of those killed in the country's drug war.
Their funerals were followed by years of agony as Pasco lived without hope for justice ever being done. So on hearing the news this week of the arrest of the country's former President Rodrigo Duterte over his brutal war on drugs, she was overcome with emotion.
It took a full week and a hefty $1,500 fee for Pasco to recover their bodies from the morgue. Their difficulties illustrate the broader suffering of families impacted by the drug war.
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