On Niños Inocentes, De Lima urges Filipinos to pray and seek justice for young EJK victims

During these challenging times, Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has urged her fellow Filipinos to not forget calling and praying for justice for the young victims of extrajudicial killings and other state-sponsored abuses in the country, and their loved ones left behind.

In her message on the observance of Niños Inocentes today (Dec. 28), De Lima said the event is a chance for the Filipinos to pray for the healing of the families of EJK victims.

"Christmas season is an occasion for joy and celebration but, let us not forget to pray for families, especially fathers and mothers, who have lost their children in Duterte's murderous drug war; innocents considered as 'collateral damage' of a failed, bloody campaign," she said.

"Ito nga po ang ginugunita natin ngayong araw ng Niños Inocentes, kung saan inaalala ang kalupitan ni Haring Herodes, nang ipapatay nya ang mga sanggol matapos ipanganak si Hesus dahil sa pangambang mawala siya sa kapangyarihan," she added.

Celebrated by the Catholic Church every Dec. 28 in various parts of the world as part of the Christmas season, Niños Inocentes commemorates the innocent children who were killed upon the order of King Herod, fearful of being overthrown by the prophesized Messiah, to ensure newborn Jesus Christ's death.

Also known as the Feast of Holy Innocents, it is commemorated within the season of Christmas because the holy innocents offered their lives for the newborn Savior.

Of the thousands killed in Duterte's so-called "war on drugs", innocent children who were killed are simply regarded by the present government as mere "collateral damage."

De Lima, a known human rights defender here and abroad and the staunchest critic of Duterte's murderous drug war, vowed to continue fighting for justice for all the victims of EJKs and any forms of abuses in the country.

"Ang atin pong patuloy na dalangin at ipinaglalaban: makamit ng mga inosente at walang kalaban-labang biktima ng karahasan ang hustisya at mapanagot ang mga nasa likod ng karumal-dumal na mga krimen sa ating bayan," said she.