‘Once you lose someone you love, you cannot really move on’

A year later, Kathrina Polo still misses her husband. —Jhesset O. Enano

Three women whose lives became intertwined after their loved ones were killed in an alleged drug raid in Aug. 2016 were among thousands of cemetery goers on All Saints’ Day.

Kathrina Polo, Marilyn Bordeos and Mariza Hamoy lighted candles at their kin’s graves at Parokya ng Pagkabuhay Cemetery in Bagbag, Novaliches, Quezon City. All of them had one wish: That they would see justice served for their dead.

“Once you lose someone you love, you cannot really move on,” Polo said as she lit candles for her husband Cherwen.

On Aug. 15, 2016, Cherwen, 38, was killed in their house in Payatas, supposedly after firing at Batasan policemen during a buybust operation.

Cherwen died with three other men: Bordeos’ nephew, William, 29; Hamoy’s son, Darwin, 17; and a man only known to them as “Rambo.”

The three women have contested the policemen’s claim of a shootout, saying the men were just having drinks as Cherwen had a birthday three days ago.

Buried with son

Polo’s husband was laid to rest with his son, Cherwin Enzo, who died as a baby in 2012 due to respiratory problems.

“Before we only used to visit our son here. Now there’s two of them,” said Polo, who was left to raise their three other children aged 2, 7 and 11.

A few meters away, Bordeos also lit a candle for her nephew William.

For Hamoy, the loss of her teenage son Darwin would always be painful, made more so by allegations he was a criminal.

“Those who did this know what their sins are,” Bordeos said. “If they do not get punished in our courts here, they [will face] the court of God.”