Weena Alamo, sister of EJK victim Ramelo Andes, on November 13, 2024. Jervis Manahan, ABS-CBN NewsMANILA -- More than a hundred families of alleged victims of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during the Duterte Administration showed up at the House of Representatives on Wednesday, as the QuadComm grilled the former president for his bloody drug war.

Several years after losing a loved one during the war on drugs, the families are still struggling to cope with grief.

But some of the bereaved family members said they are seeing a glimmer of hope as both Senate and House of Representatives investigate the drug war.

"Medyo nabubuhayan kami ng loob na nagkakaroon ng hearing sa Senate at dito sa Congress regarding dito sa drug war. Nararamdaman ko na meron po talaga sya (Duterte) kaugnayan sa nangyaring war on drugs," said Malyn Alameda, who lost her domestic partner in February 2017.

(We're slightly getting a glimmer of hope as as the Senate and House investigate the drug war. I can feel Duterte really had a hand in the war on drugs.)

READ: Duterte confirms drug war reward scheme -- 'Minsan bigyan ko pa ng dagdag'

Alameda recounted that the killing of her partner brought heavy devastation to their family.

"Sa totoo lang po, nung nangyari po yun, siya po padre de pamilya namin, siya bumubuhay samin, talagang nahirapan po ako. Nung panahon na yun, buntis din po ako sa pang apat naming anak. Kahit nangyari yon, di ko alam gagawin namin. Takot na takot kami. Halos wala kami pinagkakatiwalaan," she added.

(He was our breadwinner when the killing happened so I really had a difficult time. I was even pregnant for our fourth child. I did not know what to do. We were so afraid. We did not want to trust anybody.)

Alameda was one of the families who became part of Fr. Flavie Villanueva's Project Paghilom, and having a network of other families helped in her healing.

For many years, she fought for justice, attending hearings and rallies with other EJK victims' families.

"Hustisya po ang pinaglalaban namin. Sa totoo lang, nasa isip namin gumawa non mga pulis. Kaya hirap kaming makakuha ng hustisya," she said.

(We are fighting for justice. We really believe policemen killed my partner so it was hard to attain justice.)

"Ang pagsipot pa lang ni dating presidente Duterte ay malaking kasagutan sa mga tanong namin sa nangyari samin sa EJK," she added.

(Duterte's appearance alone will help us answer a lot of our questions.)

For the first time, the former president showed up in the House Quad Committee hearing, which has been investigating the drug war for months.

READ: Duterte arrives at House for quad comm inquiry

Families watched the hearing in the People Center inside the House of Representatives' compound.

Prior to the hearing, a mass was presided by Fr. Flavie Villanueva, who initiated several efforts to help EJK families cope with their loss.

But for Weena Alamo, the road to justice does not end with the QuadComm hearing.

Alamo lost her brother Ramelo Andes in May 2017, in a police operation in Brgy. Holy Spirit, Quezon City.

Alamo and Andes' mother got severely depressed after the EJK incident, and she died just five years after.

"Kahit kaunting katarungan, kahit hindi totally mabigay katarungan, at least may gumagabay. Hindi naman natin ma sure if 100% makuha ang katarungan eh diba," Alamo said.

(Even just a bit of justice will do. We cannot get 100% justice, right?)

Alamo said Fr. Flavie Villanueva's Project Paghilom help them get back on track, after the EJK incident that claimed her brother's life.

"Sana lumabas yung [katotohanan]. Sa tinagal-tagal ng panahon, baka sakali. Baka hindi pa makuha yan sa ngayon. Pero sana sa lalong madaling panahon," she added

(We hope the truth will come out. In time, it will. Maybe not now, but soon.)

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