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Grieving families in Philippine drugs war turn to theatre for healing, therapy

Published 03/04/2020, 05:24 PM
Updated 03/04/2020, 05:32 PM
Grieving families in Philippine drugs war turn to theatre for healing, therapy

MANILA, March 4 (Reuters) - Relatives of some of the
thousands killed in the Philippines' war on drugs acted out
their journey of loss and healing in a theatre performance in
Manila on Wednesday, capping a month-long therapy programme for
grieving urban poor families.
Bereaved mothers, wives and children took to the stage at a
high school in the business centre of the capital in front of a
crowd of 500, most of them students. They danced to pop songs,
and performed monologues and political sketches.
"If you would look at the performers, there are so many
smiles. They were dancing in joy," said organiser Flavie
Villanueva, a former drug user-turned-priest who is critical of
President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-narcotics campaign.
"The first time they came to me, there was nothing but
tears, anguish and anger," said Villanueva, who launched
'Paghilom' - 'healing' in Tagalog - in 2016 to comfort grieving
families.
More than 5,600 suspected drug dealers and users have been
killed in police anti-narcotics operations since Duterte took
office in July 2016, according to government data. Thousands
more died in mysterious circumstances, some shot dead by masked
gunmen riding pillion on motorcycles.
Rights group said the police summarily executed suspects.
But police said they acted in self defence after suspects
violently resisted arrest.
"Through 'Paghilom,' I let out all my tears," said Analyn
Mamot, 33, whose husband, an illegal drugs user, was killed by
unidentified gunmen two years ago. "Now I feel new, like a new
personality is alive in me."



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