already difficult situation even more difficult. Even before the violent killing of their family members, the women were already dealing with the loss of employment and limited mobility due to COVID-19, with the killing, they had to arrange for autopsy and burial/cremation, and had to process documents needed for financial assistance or filing of cases. Due to limited mobility, most women were unable to file cases and some were not even able to process the death certificates immediately. Ceremonies honoring the dead were also shortened with very limited attendees to burials. In addition to all these, they also fear for their safety as the perpetrators remain at large. One woman interviewed by the Center related how it was to lose a son during the pandemic. Lina 58 recounted how last 10th of May, her son went out to buy medicine for her. The son never came back, he was gunned down along Republic Ave., Quezon City, a case of mistaken identity by men riding in tandem. They wore mask and were uncrecognizable. After the shooting, a neighbor fetched Lina and she immediately rushed to the place where the incident happened. She could not accept what happened to her son. In utter disbelief she said ‘Hindi ko tanggap na mamamatay nang ganung situasyon ang anak ko – ang bait nyang tao, mistaken identity – napagkamalan talaga.’ [ I can’t accept that my son would die in these circumstances – he’s a good person, it was really mistaken identity]. She shared that she was so angry then, she was shouting and she even shouted at SOCO when they told her she has to get a funeral parlor for her son. She accosted them saying ‘bakit sisingilin nyo ako ng mahal para lang maipalibing ang anak ko?’ [Why? Are you going to charge me a lot of money just to bury my child?]. She was then referring to the known 59 practice of SOCO to bring cadavers to far and expensive funeral parlors making it more difficult for families. She also said that during that time, even though it was the height of the pandemic she was wailing and shouting, and without mask- she didn’t care. ‘Wala ako pakialam sa COVID COVID or mask mask, galit ako, galit na galit na ako. Ramdam ko ang pagkawala ng aking anak. Inaasahan at inakala ko na mag-aalalay sya sa aking habang buhay’ [I don’t care about COVID or of wearing masks, I am angry, I am very angry. I felt the loss of my son. I depend on him and I thought he would be there to assist me until my old age.] It was particularly difficult for Lina to lose her son during the pandemic, she relayed that she wasn’t able to pay for their house since last April and May, as she lost her source of income with the ECQ. Previously she earned through PCSO’s EZ2 lotto, this ceased when quarantine measures were implemented. Another woman recounted the killing of her husband sometime in June. According to Anita, prior to her partner’s violent death, the family already experienced threats. According to Anita, her partner already knew that his life was in danger. The partner intended to get away and he was only awaiting for his travel pass when the killing happened. According to Anita, they were unable to hold a funeral, and she was unable to ask assistance from Quezon City Social Services Development Department (SSDD) as the body was already cremated. She was also unable to get a copy of the police report because of the challenges in transportation. They were only able to process the death certificate. She said that even if she wanted to file a case, the family of her partner says it might be dangerous. “Gusto ko sana magsampa ng kaso, sabi naman ng pamilya nya, wag na baka delikado” Aside from Lina and Anita, several accounts of women left behind were documented by the Center and with CHR-NCR in Barangay Holy Spirit. All these accounts showed the multiple vulnerability of women left behind by EJK, at a time that the country is struggling with a pandemic. It is also worth noting that the case of Barangay Holy Spirit is not isolated. Regional offices of the Commission continued to receive reports of drug related EJKs during the ECQ/MECQ period. Commission’s record would show that from 58 59 Not her real name, 66 years old, solo parent According to Lina it was common knowledge in the community that SOCO operatives do this 14