MANILA, Philippines – At the center of journalist Patricia Evangelista’s critically acclaimed book, Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in My Country, are the families and their courage to tell the stories of their loved ones killed in Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.

On Monday, April 8, three widows whose experiences were included in Evangelista’s book recalled what happened to their husbands, how the deaths have affected their lives, and the unrelenting desire for justice.

Rodalyn Adan, Marilyn Malimban, and Jane Lee spoke before a church full of drug war victims’ families in Payatas, Quezon City. The place was where many of the killings occurred. This place, which many of the victims called home, is the first Philippine stop for Evanglista’s book tour.

Watch the videos below to see and hear Rodalyn, Marilyn, and Jane tell their stories.

Rodalyn Adan

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Marilyn Malimban

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Jane Lee

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Duterte’s drug war left least 6,252 individuals killed in police anti-illegal drug operations alone. The death toll is estimated to reach almost 30,000 if those killed vigilante-style are included, according to human rights groups.

Almost eight years since the drug war began, or two years since Duterte’s term ended, justice remains elusive for victims and their families. Only a few have been convicted in drug war-related killings, including the police involved in the deaths of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos, Carl Angelo Arnaiz, and Reynaldo “Kulot” de Guzman.

The International Criminal Court (ICC), however, is currently investigating the killings for alleged crimes against humanity. The timeline is uncertain, as well as the possible outcome, but as Marilyn emphasized to other families: “Magkuwento tayo nang magkuwento kahit hindi tayo makakuha ng hustisya.” (Let’s continue telling our stories even if we don’t obtain justice.) – Rappler.com