The period from June 2016 to June 2022 will always be considered among the darkest days in contemporary Philippine history. According to government figures, at least 6,252 persons were felled during the “war on drugs,” but human rights organizations put the number between 12,000 and 30,000.

Small wonder that “tokhang” (or when cops knock on doors) became a byword, and “EJK” (extrajudicial killing) entered the popular lingo and is now embedded in the Filipino psyche.

While photojournalists were able to capture the images of the fallen bodies, and print journalists reported the crimes, writers necessarily brought to light the stories behind the victims. And among the arts, it was theater which reflected most of the pathos of the “what ifs” in the communities’ stories.

Many of these plays were performed at the Virgin Labfest (VLF), an annual festival of one-act plays organized by the Writers’ Bloc and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, ironically a state-sponsored institution on the arts.

Last Oct. 4, three of these works were performed again in “Gatilyo: Tatlong Dula ng Pag-alala,” a collaboration of staged readings between Active Vista and Dakila, with the Human Rights and People Empowerment Center, at Harong, PRRM Building in Quezon City.

“Punks Not Dead” by Andrew Bonifacio Clete was first performed in 2022.  On the day of module distribution and retrieval, a mother complains about the teacher’s marking wrong an answer regarding tattoos. The teacher asserts what she says is the correct answer: that a tattoo symbolizes crime (simbolo ng pagiging kriminal). Another parent, a policeman, happens by and the discussion goes haywire.

“Patayin ang mga Surot” by Floyd Scott Tioganco (VLF 19) was a staged reading in the latest edition of the VLF. Here, we see Mommy and Daddy weave dreams of moving out of their shack for a yet-to-come baby, when police come knocking on their door. 

“Ang Mga Balo” by Ma. Cecilia dela Rosa is about a writer agonizing on how to finish her story about two widowed women—one because of an EJK and the other because of the insurgency. First performed in 2022, the play involves the writer talking to her characters, both unnamed, and both desiring to write their own narratives. Veteran actress Skyzx Labastilla reprised her role, albeit via zoom from the United States. 

Each performance was followed by a talkback with the actors and directors (Alilia Bagio, Via Antonio and Paulo Cabanero for “Punks Not Dead”; Charm Aranton and Lian Silverio for “Patayin ang mga Surot”; and Alon Segarra, Pau Benitez, and director Adrienne Vergara for “Ang Mga Balo”) reflecting on their respective materials and the need for artists to take a stronger stand against EJKs and for human rights. 

But the most gripping part of the night was the recollection of survivors, actual widows whose husbands were “tokhang-ed.” Lydjay Acopio, Normenda Sarmiento and Marlyn Sison bravely faced the audience to narrate the tragedy that beset their families. Holding back tears, all three said they will repeat their stories for as long as there are audiences willing to listen, and for as long as justice is not served. 

And their notion of justice? That those they hold responsible, from the executors up to the then president Rodrigo Duterte, will face accountability and have their day in court in the Philippines and at the International Criminal Court.

It’s a powerful call to action: to honor the lives that were lost and to keep alive a collective remembrance that fuels the spirit of resistance.

Read more: Story for our times