De Lima: Pray for drug war casualties 

MANILA, Philippines – Detained Sen. Leila De Lima urged Filipinos on Thursday to pray for the victims of the government’s “bloody and failed” drug war as Filipinos remember their departed loved ones on All Saints’  and All Souls’ Day.

In a statement, De Lima also asked for prayers for those killed for fighting for their rights and combating abuse and other wrongdoings, saying “Undas” is a “big challenge” for those who lost their loved ones.

“Undas” is a Filipino term for the commemoration of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2.

“Isama po sana natin sila sa ating mga panalangin: Ang mga magsasaka na pinaslang habang ipinaglalaban ang kanilang karapatan sa lupang sakahan; ang mga abogado, pari at tagapagtanggol ng karapatang pantao na pinatay dahil pagkondena sa mga pang-aabuso at pabibigay-boses sa api at maliliit; ang mga mamamahayag na tuluyang pinatahimik dahil sa pag-uulat at pagsisiwalat ng totoo; ang mahIhirap na Pilipino, pati na ang mga walang kalaban-laban at inosenteng bata, na biktima ng madugo at palpak war on drugs ng gobyerno,” she said.

(Let us include in our prayers: the farmers who were killed while fighting for their rights, the lawyers, priests, human rights defenders who were killed for condemning abuses and for giving voices to the opressed and the lowly, the journalists who were killed for reporting and exposing the truth, the poor Filipinos, the defenseless and the innocent children who were victims of the government’s bloody and failed war on drugs).

Ang nagpapapatuloy pa ring karahasan at araw-araw na patayan sa ating bayan ay nagpapanumbalik sa matinding sakit na nararamdaman bawat naulilang asawa, anak, kapatid at magulang. Ngayon pong Undas, ipagdasal at ipaglaban  ang katarungan para sa kanila upang makamit ng mga yumao at ng kanilang mga naiwan ang tunay na kapanatagan at kapayapaan,” she added.

(The continuing violence and daily killings in our country give additional pain endured by widows, children, brothers and sisters and parents. This All Saints’ and Alll Saouls’ Day,  let us pray and fight for justice for them so that their departed loved ones and those they left behind the true essence of comfort and peace).  /gsg