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

Relatives of victims killed in the Philippines' drug war act a scene during their theatre performance on their journey of loss and healing in a Catholic school in Makati City, Philippines, March 4, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Relatives of some of the thousands killed in the Philippines' war on drugs acted out their journey of loss and healing in a theater performance in Manila on Wednesday, capping a month-long therapy program for grieving urban poor families.

Bereaved mothers, wives and children took to the stage at a high school in the business center 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 organizer Flavie Villanueva, a former drug user-turned-priest who is critical of President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-narcotics campaign.

Analyn Mamot, 33, holds a candle and a portrait of her slain husband, during the theatre performance of bereaved relatives of Philippines' drug war victims portraying their journey of loss and healing in a Catholic school in Makati City, Philippines, March 4, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

"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 defense after suspects violently resisted arrest.

Relatives of victims killed in the Philippines' drug war act a scene while a placard is held by a man during the theatre performance of the bereaved families of drug war victims on their journey of loss and healing in a Catholic school in Makati City, Philippines, March 4, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

"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."

(Reporting by Eloisa Lopez; Writing by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)

A man whose relative was killed in the Philippines' drug war raises a placard during the theatre performance of the bereaved families of drug war victims on their journey of loss and healing in a Catholic school in Makati City, Philippines, March 4, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Framed portraits of Philippines' drug war victims are prepared for the theater performance of grieving families on their journey of loss and healing in a Catholic school in Makati City, Philippines, March 4, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Bereaved relatives of Philippines' drug war victims gather to pray before their theater performance on their journey of loss and healing in a Catholic school in Makati City, Philippines, March 4, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Props for the threater performance of the grieving families of Philippines' drug war victims are prepared on a table in a community center in Manila, Philippines, March 3, 2020. Picture taken March 3, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Bereaved relatives of Philippines' drug war victims prepare for their theater performance on their journey of loss and healing in a Catholic school in Makati City, Philippines, March 4, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Bereaved relatives of Philippines' drug war victims rehearse for their theater performance on their journey of loss and healing in a Catholic school in Makati City, Philippines, March 4, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Bereaved relatives of Philippines's drug war victims take a moment before their theatre performance on their journey of loss and healing in a Catholic school in Makati City, Philippines, March 4, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Filipino Catholic priest Flavie Villanueva, founder of the healing program for relatives of Philippines's drug war victims, speaks to the families before their theatre performance on their journey of loss and healing in a Catholic school in Makati City, Philippines, March 4, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Analyn Mamot, 33, a widow of a Philippines' drug war victim, cries during the theatre performance of bereaved relatives of Philippines' drug war victims portraying their journey of loss and healing in a Catholic school in Makati City, Philippines, March 4, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Bereaved relatives of Philippines' drug war victims prepare props for their theater performance on their journey of loss and healing, in a community center in Manila, Philippines, March 3, 2020. Picture taken March 3, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez