Years after her sons’ deaths, a Davao mother continues her fight for justice. Nicole Anne Bautista, ABS-CBN News Intern
MANILA – Over two decades after burying four of her children, a 72-year-old mother keeps her hope and struggle for justice alive as the murder cases of her minor sons–allegedly by the notorious Davao Death Squad (DDS)–remain stalled at the administrative level.
Clarita Alia shared her grievance before the independent Philippine Truth Commission during its third public Truth-Telling Session at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in Manila on Friday, September 25.
Alia, a vegetable vendor from Davao City, detailed how her legal battle for her four sons has been trapped in bureaucratic delays for more than twenty years.
Her four teenagers—Richard (18), Christopher (16), Bobby (14) and Fernando (15)—were stabbed to death in Davao City in separate incidents between 2001 and 2007 by unidentified assailants linked to the DDS.
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According to Alia, the summary executions began shortly after a local police officer allegedly threatened her children would be taken "one by one" when she refused to allow an arrest without a valid warrant.
“Sabi ng pulis, ‘Mag-ingat ka, kasi iisa-isahin ko ang mga anak mo, iisa-isahin ko silang lahat,’” Alia said during her testimony.
NO CLOSURE
Despite the gravity of the crimes, no official criminal murder indictments have been filed against the perpetrators in regular courts.
Instead of facing criminal prosecution, a demotion of position is the highest possible penalty for the implicated police officers, as the cases remain strictly administrative.
During the commission's press conference, human rights lawyer Atty. Raymond Baguilat explained that the cases involving Alia’s sons were relegated to the administrative level primarily due to an institutional lack of evidence and extreme difficulties in securing witnesses who feared retaliation.
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“Unfortunately, ‘yung na file po na kaso noon ay administrative case lang na na-dismiss. Ang ginamit na dahilan ay wala nga daw pong suporta ng mga iba pang ebidensiya bukod doon sa nababanggit ni Nanay Clarita at ng kanyang anak,” Baguilat said.
Unlike criminal cases, which are handled by regular courts to determine guilt for crimes like murder and carry heavy prison sentences, administrative cases are internal regulatory processes.
Baguilat added that because the complaints lacked evidence, authorities failed to hold anyone accountable for the actual murders.
“Ang nabigyan lang ng pruweba ang pananakot [ng pulis], panunutok ng baril, at aarestuhin nang walang warrant,” he added.
Rights advocate Carlos Conde emphasized that while the killings occurred more than two decades ago, it took years of navigating community hostility and fear before Alia could safely tell her story publicly.
Aside from the legal gridlock, Alia faced deep skepticism from her own neighborhood, where victims are routinely vilified as petty criminals.
The commission continues to assess safety risks for presenting families, as mothers like Alia choose to speak publicly to encourage other victims to break their silence.