Filipino religious superiors honor families of Duterte drug war victims

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino religious superiors honored families of drug war victims in an emotional thanksgiving Mass, three weeks after former president Rodrigo Duterte was arrested and then detained at the International Criminal Court.

The Conference of Major Superiors in the Philippines (CMSP) held the gathering, titled “Rising at the Table of Hope,” at a basilica in northern Metro Manila on Monday.

“To the families of victims, you are not alone. Your pain is our pain, your struggle is our struggle, and your hope is our hope. Together, we will continue to rise, to remember, and to work toward a future where justice and peace reign,” said the CMSP in a message read at the Minor Basilica of San Pedro Bautista in Quezon City.

The gathering came three days after the CMSP celebrated its 70th anniversary last Friday.

The CMSP is an organization of 370 religious institutes and societies of apostolic life in the Philippines. Formerly called the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines, it is known for its history of activism especially during the Marcos dictatorship from 1972 to 1986.

Echoing its call for social justice over the past seven decades, the conference said it “stood in deep solidarity” with victims of extrajudicial killings under Duterte. Human rights groups said around 30,000 Filipinos died during Duterte’s watch.

The arrest of 80-year-old Duterte on March 11, therefore, “represented a step toward accountability after years of struggle, pain, and unanswered calls for justice.”

“Yet, while legal proceedings unfold, our commitment to supporting these families remains steadfast. Their grief is not erased by legal actions alone; they continue to seek truth, healing, and dignity for their loved ones,” said the CMSP.

The conference reaffirmed its “mission of prophetic witness and unwavering commitment to justice, peace, and the dignity of every person.”

“For seven decades, we have stood with the oppressed, the poor, and the grieving. This gathering was a continuation of that mission — ensuring that the voices of the victims and their families are not silenced, and that the call for justice and accountability remains strong,” said the Catholic group.

During Monday’s gathering, relatives of drug war victims held portraits of the deceased, along with white roses, which a priest then sprinkled with holy water. They offered these pictures and flowers in front of a brightly colored portrait of “Jesus the Poor.”

“This act symbolized our collective call for truth and healing. We believe that faith compels us to act — to stand with those who grieve and to seek a future where justice prevails,” said the CMSP.

The CMSP’s co-executive secretary for men, Father Angelito Cortez, OFM, broke into tears as he addressed the victims’ families.

“This Mass is for all of them whom we remember today — for the nuns, priests, and laypeople who supported us to continue the work of human rights, and for the many who are still hiding,” said Cortez, his voice cracking.

“During the Duterte era, we were not given the opportunity to speak,” the priest continued. “We were not given the opportunity to fight for our loved ones. That’s why on the day Duterte was arrested and imprisoned, we were all so happy because it was a flame of hope: it is true that there is justice, and that God does not sleep.”

“So now, the tears that fall from our eyes are tears of victory, tears of joy, and tears of gratitude,” Cortez said.

In his homily, Franciscan Father Lino Gregorio Redoblado, minister provincial of the Franciscan Province of San Pedro Bautista, urged drug war victims’ families not to lose hope.

“It is sad to think that our society today does not seem to see the tears in your eyes. It seems that they even idolize and make saints of those who may be responsible for what happened to your murdered children,” Redoblado said. “So in this Mass, let us once again believe and trust in God.”

Redoblado reminded them that 2025 is the Jubilee Year of Hope, a holy year when the Church urges Catholics to seek forgiveness of sins and find new hope in Christ.

“It’s so beautiful. At the beginning of our Jubilee Year of Hope, we have been given hope,” the Franciscan provincial said.

The CMSP expressed a similar message of hope three days before this gathering, as the conference celebrated its 70th year.

“As pilgrims of hope in this Jubilee Year, we draw strength from our past and move forward with renewed conviction,” said the CSMP in a statement. The conference emphasized the need for “collaboration over competition,” a commitment to integral ecology, and faithfulness to the consecrated life.

“We walk with the poor, not as distant benefactors, but as brothers and sisters who share in their struggles. We challenge oppressive systems, knowing that true peace is built on justice,” the CMSP said.