It was three days short of Lenin Baylon’s 10th birthday when he was killed by a stray bullet in December 2016 during a drug-related shootout in Caloocan. Now, six years after the young boy’s death, his family celebrates a small but significant win.
Lenin’s death certificate was falsified to state that he died of bronchopneumonia instead of gunshot wounds. The Baylon family says they were compelled to sign a waiver agreeing to alter the cause of Lenin’s death. Otherwise, they would have had to pay a huge expense for his autopsy, which they could not afford.
His family fought to correct that falsified entry in a court battle that lasted three years. Now, Lenin’s truth can come to light.
The CA decision is the earliest reported correction of a death certificate of a drug war victim.
For the Baylon family, this legal victory is only the first step in their quest for accountability and justice. At least 15 other families have been reported to experience falsified death records to cover up the extrajudicial killings of their loved ones.
This Human Rights Day, IDEALS reiterates its commitment to seek justice for the victims of Duterte’s War on Drugs.
#humanrightsday #duterte #warondrugs #StoptheKillings #IncorrectDeathCertificate
