Mother of teenaged victim of drug war calls for Duterte’s resignation

Nanay Emily (holding microphone), a member of the group Rise Up for Life and for Rights, gets rousing applause on saying that she hopes President Rodrigo Duterte would be replaced. (Photo by MAILA AGER / INQUIRER.net)

In front of thousands rallyists at the Rizal Park in Manila on Thursday, an emotional mother called for President Rodrigo Duterte’s resignation after she had lost a child in government’s deadly war on drugs.

“Kayo rin po President Duterte, maramdaman niyo rin sana ang nararamdaman namin. Magulang din kayo. Mahirap mawalan ng isang pamilya,” said the woman, identified only as Nanay Emily, a member of the group Rise Up for Life and for Rights.

[“President Duterte, may you also feel what we feel. You’re also a parent. It’s hard to lose your family.”[

She spoke on stage with other members of the group, including religious people.

“Sana po si President ay atin nang palitan. Masyado nang masakit!” she added to the loud applause and cheers of the crowd.

[“I hope the President would be changed. The pain has become unbearable.‘]

Before her speech, Nanay Emily was introduced as the mother of 16-year-old teen, Angelito, who was allegedly a victim of the Duterte administration’s drug war.

“Napakasakit po, kasi marami na pong inosente ang nadadamay, kagaya po ng anak ko nadamay po sa maling itinatag ni Duterte na war on drugs,” Nanay Emily said.

[“It really hurts, because so many innocent people get caught up, like my son who got caught up in this erroneous war on drugs that Duterte started.”]

“Napakahirap po na mawalan ng isang anak at asawa, mga pamilya. Masyado na pong masakit kasi puro mahihirap po ang kanilang binibikima,” she added.

[“It’s so hard to lose a son and husband, your family. It’s has become really painful because only the poor become victims.”]

Nanay Emily lamented that only the rich, not the poor, could get justice under the Duterte administration. /atm