For the first time in ten years, the survivors of the war on drugs feel that the wheels of justice are finally in motion.
They say this following the arrest of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on March 11, 2025.
Father Flaviano Lopez Villanueva—aka Fr. Flavie—has been working with the victims for years.
The Society of Divine Jesus (SVD) priest took time to speak with the PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) the day after Duterte's arrest, and when he did, he admitted that the arrest caused his tears to fall.
In his words: "If I could even dare say, ‘Salamat sa Diyos.’ Those were the words, and of course I was, of course I was moved to tears that very moment. It was surreal, if that's the word that captures it."
Fr. Flavie is the Catholic priest credited for establishing the St. Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center in Manila, which provides food and hygiene services to the homeless community.
But, to the families of extrajudicial killing (EJK) victims housed at the Center, he is more than that. He is the staunch human-rights activist who founded Program Paghilom.
And Program Paghilom is, for them, writ large: it is a seven-phase initiative designed to aid the healing and empowerment of those left behind by Duterte's drug murders.
A MEETING WITH EJK WIDOWS
Before news of Duterte's arrest broke, Fr. Flavie had been aware that an ICC red notice was in place, but the timing and execution of the arrest remained uncertain.
While many prepared for Duterte to return from his sudden trip to Hong Kong, Fr. Flavie was preparing for a different kind of gathering.
He was planning a meeting with the widows of the drug war to brief them on what to expect next, including forthcoming legal proceedings and the all-important security concerns.
"I would want to meet the widows, at least the lieutenants, the area coordinators, and give them some briefing—what to expect, how to safeguard their security, remind them of that particularly.
"I was really going to meet the widows, but I did not expect that I was going to meet them to celebrate with them!
"So, what was supposed to be a briefing turned into a, first, of course, the Thanksgiving Mass, and then it was followed by a little fellowship.
"And I want to do more. I'll be calling for a general assembly of our 327 members."
For him and the families of the victims, Duterte's arrest is only the beginning.
Fr. Flavie is not letting up: "Digong is just the architect. There were those who laid the foundations, did the pillars, created and sealed the roofing, and there were those who pulled the hammer gun.
"So, madami pang warrant ang dapat asikasuhin, international and local.
"The Department of Justice is doing its own serious work on prosecuting local low-lying fruits who were directly involved in the killings.
"The thing is, ICC settles for the architects and the principals. They do not go down to the level of the foot soldiers, so to speak."
Fr. Flavie, speaking for the victims' families, says they are hopeful but realistic.
"They're very much knowledgeable that arrest is just a fraction of justice. They know that justice has different forms," he explains.
"Justice is synonymous to healing. Healing is synonymous to having bread on the table. Justice is allowing having a child who lost a breadwinner—a father that's a breadwinner—continue to go to school."—Fr. Flavie
"So, there are many forms of justice, and they know this. So, even though they were the ones who celebrated yesterday, they also know for a fact that this is just the beginning."
ASSESSING THE PHILIPPINE JUDICIAL SYSTEM
With Duterte's arrest, all eyes are now on the Philippine judicial system. Can it deliver justice fairly? And will it?
Fr. Flavie hopes so. But he does not mince words about the challenges ahead, citing deep-rooted dysfunction in the system.
"We have to understand that there is a lot to be done as far as revamping, recreating our judicial system.
"It has gone to, I couldn't even say to the dogs, because dogs these days are receiving better treatment than people. But, figuratively, it has gone to the dogs since Duterte's time.
"Nababoy, binaboy ang ating democratic institutions. So, there is a lot of repair and such repair is taking place now."—Fr. Flavie on Duterte's time
He commends today's legislators who have admitted that they were once too intimidated to act.
"For one, the hearing in the QUADCOM, the House of Representatives, is proof that there are those who saw the evil of Tokhang, and they would like to make things right.
"I commend the several representatives, congressmen, who said: 'We admit that we were scared. We were intimidated. But Duterte's time is over. We are putting an end to the fear, and we will hold the people accountable.'
"Those are very brave and notable words."
However, he also questions their motives: "Now the other face of this, as I was saying, what is truly motivating them to do this?
"Is it because they are running for office?
"Is it because the reality of taking away or subtracting Duterte from the equation would give them a multiplication table in their favor?
"Sana hindi yun ang mangibabaw.
"So, bagamat umuusad, bagamat nagkakaroon ng bagong hugis, inaayos at naghihilom ang sugat na iniwan ni Rodrigo Duterte—I hope we do it for the right reasons."
FR. FLAVIE REFLECTS ON IMPACT OF RODRIGO DUTERTE'S ARREST
Duterte's arrest, says Fr. Flavie, is a powerful signal to those who doubted that accountability was ever possible.
"A lot of people didn't believe that such a day would take place," he says. "I was just simply, I was not losing hope, because I know the process is taking place. I know how it's building up.
"But there were a lot who doubted. A lot of people didn't believe that such a day would take place.
"There's still goodwill na maaaring maasahan sa humanity, sa mundo."
He then acknowledges that while the ICC faces challenges, the cooperation of the current administration has played a crucial role.
"Would the ICC have been successful in arresting if not with the cooperation of the administration? The answer is, It would struggle. It would struggle in enforcing the warrant. But the ICC will find a way."
He has reassured the widows of EJK victims and his fellow advocates that "the warrant alone is a victory."
When the arrest finally happened, it was swift and precise.
"It was seamless. Orchestrated in the most... what's the right word here... in a very... hindi cunning, eh. But it was siguro seamless lang.
"the arrest came like a thief in the night. Walang chaos, walang drama. And most importantly, walang bloodshed. Yun ang kinakatakot ko, e."—FR. FLAVIE on Duterte arrest
On the possibility of destabilization
With Duterte’s arrest, questions have arisen: Would the former President's supporters destabilize the country through a people-power movement?
Fr. Flavie says he recognizes their right to protest, but he finds their unwavering devotion deeply troubling.
"Well, that is their right. Karapatan nila na ipagtanggol ang kanilang poon," he concedes.
"But it also saddens me how deep this following and belief is in someone who massacred innocent people here and there in Davao, now and then in Davao."
He worries that Duterte's supporters are taking on the characteristics of a cult.
"It's becoming a cultic movement. This is what Duterte has started. And he left us a country with a pool of blood which his people are defending.
"Ito yung pinagtatanggol nila.
"Ito yung iniwan ng presidente niyo, tapos ganito yung pinagtatanggol niyo," the priest says, visibly disturbed.
What frustrates him even more is how Catholics can be Duterte supporters.
"They claim to be Catholic themselves, magsisimba yan, magdarasal.
"Parang, talagang may dichotomy, no?
"Talagang hati ang pananampalataya sa pang araw-araw na pagsasabuhay nito.
"And for me, that is most tragic."
As to whether these supporters pose a real threat to national stability, Fr. Flavie is doubtful.
"If they place flesh and bones to the trolls that they claim to have, but which they just created, kung may totoong katawan at laman yon, baka sakaling makaabot sila ng sampung milyon.
"But, we all know that these are fragments of their imagination and creation.
"So, this unrest that they're trying to create, that Sara Duterte claims, is political maneuvering and would only create chaos.
"If they pursue this unrest, that would be the real chaos that we do not need.
"Itong pag-aresto kay Digong ay batay sa mga malalim na pagsasaliksik, pag-aaral, at mga ebidensiya na malalim na sinuri. So, hindi ito gawa at kathang-isip.
"So, I do not believe that they will create a significant impact on the peace that we are now pursuing. But they will try. Knowing them, they will try."
The possibility of orchestrated unrest, he warns, should not be dismissed.
"They will create even scenarios of unrest, bombings perhaps here and there, and claim that the current government is unable to maintain peace. But, I don't think that would flourish."
death threats on the priest's life
Having faced threats to his life, Fr. Flavie knows first-hand the dangers of speaking out against Duterte and his allies.
"Of course, everyone is afraid of death," he affirms.
"Especially when my mother was still alive. It came to a point that they even went to the house. And that's when I had to push her out of the country and stay there.
"But, siguro sa kanya rin ako nagmana ng stubbornness because she returned as well without informing me. So, yeah, it's real, it's there."
Despite the risks, he remains resolute. He draws strength from the very people he fights for—the families of victims who live in fear yet continue with their everyday struggles.
"We cannot also afford to be cowered by it.
"Sinabi sabi nung isang widow, ‘Siguro, kung may gate lang kami, baka buhay pa yung anak ko...kung may gate lang kami.’
"Shucks, gate lang ang katapat, ano?
‘E, wala Father, tinadyakan yung pinto namin. Wala na, tuluy-tuloy na.’"—Fr. Flavie quoting an EJK survivor
Hearing stories like these, he refuses to let fear paralyze him or those around him.
"Mas vulnerable sila, and they're not afraid. Of course they are, but they continue their day-to-day struggles. So, why should I be different from them?"
THE SEVEN STAGES OF PAGHILOM
Fr. Flavie has always believed that healing is not a passive experience; that at the very least, it requires intention, process, and trust.
For the families of EJK victims, the road to recovery is not just about grieving, it is more about reclaiming dignity, seeking justice, and building a future.
Paghilom, the program he founded to help widows and orphans of the drug war, follows a seven-stage process—one that has grown from experience, inspiration, and the urgent need to provide real, lasting healing.
"It begins with vetting," Father Flavie explains, saying he meets with them one by one.
The first meetings were deeply personal. He walked with these families through their grief, meeting with them every Saturday or even twice a week.
After they completed Grief and Trauma 101, he would make a single request: "Bring me one or two more."
That simple call to expand the circle became the foundation of Paghilom’s growth. Batch 2 followed, then Batch 3.
Today, 21 batches and counting have gone through the program.
Once vetted, participants are invited to attend psychospiritual intervention (PSI) sessions every Saturday.
As it happens, other forms of healing are acquired, including the legal.
In between these Saturdays, lawyers step in to offer legal assistance. Families are encouraged to tell their stories and put their pain in words.
"At first, nobody would talk," Fr. Flavie recalls. "They were silent, fearful, distrustful."
Originally, the legal assistance sessions were held at the beginning of the program, but the families were too scared to speak up.
"Walang nagsasalita. Tikom. Takot. Walang tiwala."
But halfway through the PSI sessions, something changed.
"I was just surprised one time that the mother or the lola approached me, ‘Father, game na. Nasaan na yung abogado ko? Handa na akong magsalita.’"
That instance was proof of what Paghilom was truly about: trust, healing, and empowerment.
The fourth and fifth stages of Paghilom focus on education for orphans and livelihood assistance for mothers. Children who have lost their fathers are given opportunities to continue their studies, while mothers are supported in finding stable sources of income.
The sixth stage is capacity building, where leaders emerge from the program, equipped to reach out to others and become agents of transformation within their barangays and communities.
By this point, many of the widows and orphans have not only healed from their trauma but have become advocates themselves.
Then came the seventh stage—Project Arise—a stage that Father Flavie never expected, but soon realized was a dire necessity.
DAMBANA NG PAGHILOM
A dignified resting place for victims of the drug war.
This is Project Arise's Dambana ng Paghilom. It stands within La Loma Cemetery in Caloocan City—an open, roofless space designed to embody both sorrow and solace.
From the outside, its rough, unfinished facade reflects the harsh realities faced by those who rest within.
But upon entering, the space transforms into a symbol of comfort and embrace.
The circular design represents unity and healing, centered around a striking image of the Virgin Mary—blindfolded, signifying justice.
An eternal flame burns alongside a rock, symbolizing resilience and collective remembrance.
Visitors, especially mothers of victims, instinctively look upward, drawn to a single point.
Fr. Flavie says that those who step inside sense an unseen presence that envelops them. In his words, just as they, and their lost loved ones, are embraced by God.
This is why it is called the Altar of Healing—Dambana ng Paghilom.
"Project Arise came in only later," Fr. Flavie admits. "Because, I was ignorant still of the reality of apartment-for-rent graves."
Fr. Flavie eventually learned that many victims of EJK were buried in mass graves or rental crypts, and when their families could no longer afford the fees, the bodies were dug up and discarded. It was a horrifying truth he could not ignore.
"How can we talk about healing if their loved ones are thrown away like garbage?"
That realization led to the expansion of Program Paghilom’s work.
Today, families are given support not only at the grieving stage and with legal action, but also in retrieving, properly identifying, and finally laying loved ones to rest with dignity.
A CALLING FULFILLED
Looking back, Fr. Flavie admits that none of this was ever part of his plan.
"It was never in my dream to do this," he reflects. "I was given an office, and I believe I bloom where I’m planted."
Standing with the families of EJK victims, fighting for justice, and providing safe spaces for the grieving were not tasks he personally mapped out for himself.
But, he came to understand that his mission transcended personal aspirations.
That a mission is responding to a moral duty: "I’m just an unprofitable servant doing what is expected of me."
Add this to the Catholic priest's many learnings: the recent development in the local political landscape is not just about retribution.
"I hope it serves as an avenue—the arrest and the coming arrests of the perpetrators who created a pool of bloodshed and a culture of impunity—towards national healing and transformation.
"I believe and pray that it will pave the way and, second, heighten the awareness of young people like you and me to be more engaged, more aware, and to take up the cudgels of human rights.
"Our nation is not in as much of a mess as the previous administration left it, but we cannot go on like this," the priest says.
"No one is an island. Walang sino man nabubuhay para sa sarili lamang.
"Hindi ito yung kinagisnang bansa na maka-Diyos, na makakapwa."
"The sanctity of truth has been distorted.
"You are very familiar with social media—there are six lies thrown out each minute. If these lies keep getting repeated, they become the truth."
This, he insists, is one of the most urgent battles to fight—not just for justice in the courts but for the integrity of truth itself.
"This is one of the things I pray will be reconciled or addressed—that we do not lie. Integrity must be reshaped and realized once again.
"May his arrest trigger in us embracing the cause of standing up for what is right, doing the right thing—not just for ourselves, but for the next two generations." —Fr. Flavie
"Palawakin natin ang kamalayan natin. Let’s not remain stagnant in what we think we already know.
"Let’s dig deep, think critically, seek knowledge, and not be afraid to pursue it. The word is discernment—palawakin ang kamalayan para mas malalim tayong makapagdama.
"I can empathize more deeply only when I have the knowledge of why I am empathizing, why I am reaching out to you.
"And in so doing, we enrich our humanity.
"Malawak ang pakikipagkapwa-tao. Palawakin ang kamalayan, palalimin ang pagdama para sa mapayapa at mapagyamang pakikipagkapwa.
"Healing must have a purpose—and that is to forge a better tomorrow."