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A MOTHER'S COPY. Clarita Alia, whose four sons were killed during ex-president Rodrigo Duterte's tenure as Davao mayor, shows her copy of journalist Patricia Evangelista's book in 2024. Herbie Gomez/Rappler
Herbie Gomez/Rappler
A mother, who lost her sons to the so-called 'war on drugs' in Davao, says she has been getting hate messages on my social media, accusing her of being involved in illegal drugs
DAVAO, Philippines – Clarita Alia’s life has been defined by loss and the fight for justice. Living in a rundown shack in Davao’s Bankerohan Market area, she has spent years chronicling her grief in a diary – a personal record of pain, memories, and a crusade against the forces that took her four sons.
Her personal journal, which contains her personal reflections, holds worn-out sheets of paper, police charge sheets, and yellowed newspaper clippings – physical evidence of the brutal deaths of her children and the legal battle she waged against their alleged killers, including a policeman.
The 71-year-old Alia’s four sons – Richard, Christopher, Bobby, and Fernando – were killed on separate occasions allegedly by the so-called Davao Death Squad (DDS) long before Duterte’s rise to the presidency. They were minors, and killed on suspicion of involvement in crimes such as rape and theft, offenses often linked to drug use.
She told Rappler on Monday, March 17, that she cried when she learned about Duterte’s arrest from her neighbors and social media and nosy neighbors.
“I burst into tears,” she said, adding that she saw a ray of light in a long nightmare – one that began years ago when Duterte seemed untouchable.
Alia had been invited to testify at the recent high-profile House quad committee hearings on extrajudicial killings in the House of Representatives. But she said concerns for her safety kept her away.
Even with Duterte out of office, she said his influence remained, and his allies and supporters still wielded power, and those who dared to speak against him, especially in Davao, knew the risks.
For six years, Duterte’s presidency was defined by a violent anti-drug campaign. Government figures list more than 6,000 deaths, but human rights organizations estimate the toll could be as high as 30,000. The bodies piled up, and the fear spread.
Alia said she continued to receive threats, especially on social media, even after Duterte stepped down in mid-2022.
“I have been receiving hate messages on my social media account, accusing me of being involved in illegal drugs,” Alia said, her frustration evident. “But I’m happy that more people are now aware of Duterte’s brutal leadership – that he should be held accountable for the many killings in the country during his term.”
With Duterte now in custody in The Hague to face accusations before the International Criminal Court (ICC), Alia said the more her resolve has not wavered. If anything, she said, her voice has grown stronger.
“God forbid, his children will perpetuate their father’s leadership. I will continue to be a vocal critic,” Alia said.
Duterte’s arrest for crimes against humanity – his bloody drug war leaving a trail of extra-judicial killings – was a moment Alia had long awaited. Yet, even now, justice still felt just out of reach, she said.
She continues to live alone, scraping by on odd jobs – pushing carts, hauling goods, selling cigarettes in the market. The fight has taken its toll, but she presses on.
As for what she will write in her journal about this latest chapter in her struggle, Alia hesitated.
“I don’t know yet. I have been having a hard time writing lately, and my spellings are no longer right,” said the septuagenarian, the weight of the years evident in her voice. – Rappler.com
