Kin of EJK victims 'resurrect' their hopes for justice on Easter Sunday

Families of victims of extrajudicial killings (EJK) under former president Rodrigo Duterte's bloody drug war marked Easter Sunday by painting eggs in memory of their departed loved ones. The event was held at the Ina ng Lupang Pangako Parish in Urban Barangay Payatas B, Quezon City, on 20 April 2025. For the victims’ families, the recent arrest of Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC) is more than a legal milestone — it’s a sign that their fight for justice and accountability has been resurrected too, just like Jesus on Easter Sunday. Among those who attended was Lorna Carina Pepaño, a 71-year-old mother of EJK victim Christian Pepaño. She painted her eggs red — the same color as the shirt her son wore when he was gunned down by unidentified assailants. She still remembers every detail of his death. It was 18 May 2020, at exactly 6:10 PM, during the height of the pandemic lockdown. Christian, who had a heart condition, had stepped out only to buy medicine. “He never used drugs,” Lorna said. During the presentation of the painted eggs, Lorna shared how her son used to wake her up every morning at 4 AM to remind her to have breakfast and drink her coffee. Five years on, she still feels his presence with every sip. Also present was Anabelle Vivero, 38, a mother of two children she named Maine and Alden — after the popular love team “AlDub” that rose to fame the same year Duterte came to power. Still mourning the death of her husband Richard, a taxi driver killed in the drug war, Anabelle voiced the question that haunts her, “Why did they kill my husband? Aren’t people allowed to change?” she asked in Filipino.