MANILA, Philippines – Crying for justice, US-based Mary Anikow flew to the Philippines for the first time, almost 9 months after the high-profile murder of US Marine Maj George Anikow in Makati City.

Ms Anikow said she came to attend a court hearing last Thursday, August 15.  She was supposed to testify about the costs in her brother’s burial.

In an interview with Rappler, however, she said monetary compensation is “not really important to us.” “We didn’t travel (thousands of) miles to get a few thousand dollars.”

The case remains under trial after the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 59, in February, granted bail to the 4 suspects in Maj Anikow’s murder.

Ms Anikow broke into tears in explaining why she, along with her 77-year-old mother, came to the Philippines.

“We came here to show support for our brother, to show the court that this was a human being who was loved and is missed. He has 3 children who are going to grow up, 3 young children who are gonna grow up without their father. His wife is still grieving for him,” she told Rappler a day before the scheduled court hearing.

PH-style trial

She added the Anikow family fears a long-winded trial.

She compares the Philippine justice system to that of her own country. “The United States is not perfect; everyone knows this. But most people generally don’t get away with murder,” Ms Anikow said.

Maj Anikow, the husband of a former employee of the US Embassy in the Philippines, was stabbed to death on Nov 24, 2012. The brawl that led to his murder happened outside the gate of an upscale subdivision in Makati.

The medical officer who performed the autopsy confirmed that he died after he was stabbed in the neck.

Police pointed to “male pride” as the motive behind the killing. ­– Rappler.com