Celia was devastated yet relieved as she watched video of the former President of the Philippines, Duterte, being taken into custody upon his arrival in the capital’s main airport via her phone at home. It was a mix of mourning and relief; her two sons, victims amongst the tens of thousands, had perished in his brutal “war on drugs.”
The International Criminal Court had issued a warrant for Duterte’s arrest due to the bloody “war on drugs”. Despite his previous invincibility, he is now facing justice. Celia expressed her shock and emotion, describing it as like a bomb had exploded. Although overwhelmed with joy and sorrow, she wasn’t moved. Her sons had been victims, and she desired a similar justice for their brutal killings.
In 2017, Celia’s sons, Almon and Dicklie, were killed within six months of each other during Duterte’s violent crackdown. Almon, 32 and father of five, was murdered at a wake he attended, as police raided the event. Celia, upon hearing the news, raced to the scene just to find her son’s body gone.
Between July 2016 and March 2019, it’s estimated that around 12,000 to 30,000 civilians linked to anti-drug operations lost their lives during Duterte’s presidency. Most victims were young men in poor urban areas. The killings were relentless, with dozens of deaths reported on some nights.
Six months after Almon’s death, Dicklie, a 31-year-old father of seven, met a similar fate. He was killed while driving a tricycle, taken to a police station, and shot multiple times. His body was later dumped on the streets.
Duterte and his supporters assert that any allegations against him should be handled by the Philippine justice system. However, no investigation has commenced since the killings. At a Senate inquiry into the drug war killings in 2024, Duterte refused to apologize, stating that he acted for his country.
Celia, now the caregiver to her 12 fatherless grandchildren, has continued to fight. She tells them the truth about their father’s deaths and struggles to support them financially.
Celia views Duterte’s arrest as justice, though she fears he might never apologize. A plane carrying the former president left for The Hague, where the International Criminal Court is located. Celia adds, “That demon doesn’t know how to say sorry.”
