MEMBERS of the Philippine Drug War Truth Commission on Tuesday said they are set to hold the first truth-telling session on Friday.
In a statement posted on Facebook, the commission, launched on May 28 by Catholic Church leaders, human rights advocates, lawyers and academics, said the session is “opening a public process to document the experiences of victims, survivors, and families affected by the killings.”
The commission’s first session involves Luzviminda Siapo, the mother of 18-year-old Raymart Siapo, who was abducted and killed in Navotas City on March 29, 2017.
“Raymart, who had a congenital clubfoot that affected his ability to walk and run, was taken hours after a neighbor accused him of selling marijuana. Witnesses said his captors ordered him to run before shooting him twice in the head. Because of his disability, running was nearly impossible,” the commission said.
“In the hours before he was taken, Raymart had been preparing to begin work with his uncle the following morning. His mother also recalls that he had spoken about continuing his education and completing his studies,” it added.
The first session is scheduled for Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center on UN Avenue in Manila, with forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun set to present findings from the forensic examination of the remains of the victim, following an exhumation conducted at the request of the commission.
“The August 14 session will seek to establish not only how Raymart died, but also who he was.... He was an 18-year-old young man living with a disability, a son and an older brother who had experienced hardship with his family and still had plans for his future. Shortly before his death, he was preparing to begin working with his uncle and had spoken to his mother about continuing his education,” the commission said.
“For the Siapo family, the session is an opportunity to ensure that Raymart is remembered not simply as another number among thousands of reported killings, but as a young person whose life, hopes, relationships, and future were abruptly taken away.”
“For the Truth Commission, the August 14 session marks the beginning of a broader process of listening to victims and families, establishing and preserving a public record, and contributing to the continuing search for truth, remembrance, justice, accountability, institutional reform, and healing,” it added.
