Families slam misuse of slain relatives’ photos in anti-Duterte rallies

Composite photos of deceased Filipinos misused in recent anti-Duterte rallies.

Families and friends of five deceased Filipinos have strongly condemned the use of their loved ones’ photos in recent anti-Duterte rallies, clarifying that their deaths were unrelated to extrajudicial killings (EJK) or former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. Images of slain doctors Winston Andutan and Dreyfuss Perlas, as well as youths Aldrin Tangonan, Ryan Barbacena and Atio Castillo, were prominently displayed at rallies, including one at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), where activists labeled them as “EJK victims.” The protest coincided with Duterte’s appearance before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, where he faces charges of crimes against humanity. However, relatives of the victims have debunked these claims, calling the rallies misleading and politically motivated.

Doctors falsely labeled as ‘EJK victims’

Dr. Winston Andutan: A murder case, not an EJK The family of Dr. Raul Winston Andutan, a urologist and medical director of Maria Reyna Xavier University Hospital in Cagayan de Oro, was shocked to see his photo being used in the rally at PGH. "I'm not sure why these people used my dad's picture, but he did not die from anything related to EJK. connection to former president Duterte either," his son, Dr. Lox Andutan, wrote on Facebook. Dr. Andutan was shot dead on December 2, 2021, but his killers have already been convicted and jailed. According to his son, the crime stemmed from "greed, jealousy, and reasons that our family could never understand and accept"—not any state-sponsored violence. Calling the misuse of his father’s image "rude" and "misleading," Dr. Lox lashed out at organizers of the protest, particularly the Health Alliance for Democracy, which included his father’s photo in their materials without consent. "It's very disrespectful to use my dad's image in EJK rallies. for his death. It's RUDE to use him in this way, EJK," he said. A bodyguard of the late doctor also confirmed that the murder had no connection to EJK and urged the family to take legal action against the rally organizers. Dr. Dreyfuss Perlas: Volunteer doctor murdered by security guard Similarly, the case of Dr. Dreyfuss Perlas, a Doctors to the Barrios volunteer in Lanao del Norte, has been misrepresented in anti-Duterte rallies. Dr. Perlas was murdered on March 1, 2017, but his killer, a security guard, was arrested in 2022—a crime with no links to Duterte’s administration or war on drugs. Despite these facts being publicly available, activists have continued to portray him as a victim of EJK. His colleagues and supporters are now calling for accountability from groups spreading misinformation about his death.

Families of two slain youths debunk ‘EJK victim’ claims

Ryan Barbacena: Funeral home confirms death unrelated to Duterte One of the most controversial cases involved Ryan Barbacena, whose mother, Sheila Barbacena, was seen holding his photo at a "gathering of mothers and wives of drug war victims”. However, her neighbours and even the funeral home that handled his burial have refuted claims that he was a victim of Duterte’s drug war. According to a statement from JARA Funeral Services, Barbacena was killed in June 2024, long after Duterte left office. "Mr. Barbacena died in the hospital, and the death was reported to the Caloocan City Police," the funeral home stated, confirming that his case had no links to Duterte or the war on drugs. Neighbour Victoria Banal also accused Barbacena’s mother of misleading the public. "Her son was a drug addict and a thief who was killed by another addict whom he cheated. He was not a victim of Duterte," she wrote in Filipino in the comment section of an ABS-CBN report that first published Sheila Barbacena’s photo. Aldrin Tangonan: Killed by a jealous assailant, not state forces The sister of Aldrin Tangonan, who was murdered in 2020, also slammed rallyists for falsely claiming her brother was an EJK victim. “I just want to clarify that my brother, Aldrin M. Tangonan, was not a victim of the war on drugs. He was killed by a criminal out of jealousy—he was not a victim of any drug-related operation,” Kristine Tangonan said in Filipino. According to family members, Aldrin was shot by a classmate’s jealous boyfriend—an incident unrelated to the government’s anti-drug campaign. "This is a big deal! This is no longer right. How much were you paid? This has gone too far!" another relative angrily exclaimed in Filipino, suggesting that the rallyists were paid to spread falsehoods. Aldrin’s family and friends also pointed out that many of the protesters at The Hague were foreigners, raising suspicions about their authenticity and their real motives. Atio Castillo killed in hazing, not EJK Meanwhile, attendees of the University of Santo Tomas' prayer vigil for "victims of political and extrajudicial killings" also received backlash for using a photo of law student Horatio "Atio" Castillo at the event. "Kuya Atio was killed because of hazing, not because of EJK. Stop using him for the clout," a family member wrote on Facebook. Castillo, whose case was widely publicized in Philippine media, died in 2017 due to hazing. Last October, a Manila court sentenced 10 fraternity members to up to 40 years in jail and more than P600,000 in compensation for his death.

Debunked cases put anti-Duterte rallies into question

With multiple families coming forward to denounce the misuse of their loved ones' deaths, questions are now being raised about the authenticity of anti-Duterte protests. Critics have pointed out that alleged “victims” who turned out to be proven cases of non-political violence are being misrepresented to fit a narrative against Duterte. The former Philippine president is currently detained at The Hague, facing crimes against humanity charges over his controversial war on drugs. The ICC has accused him of ordering thousands of killings during his presidency. Duterte’s defense argues that the cases fall under Philippine jurisdiction and that the international court has no authority over his presidency. Meanwhile, his supporters claim that his detention is politically motivated and part of a broader campaign to discredit his leadership ahead of the May elections. CAM/ICA/Expat Media