MANILA - Widows and orphans of victims of extra-judicial killings on Monday told their stories of loss to Vice President Leni Robredo through an hour-long theatrical performance at the Office of the Vice President in Quezon City.

LOOK: VP Leni Robredo watches a performance by widows and orphans of EJK victims, part of an art therapy under Fr. Flavie Villanueva of St. Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center. pic.twitter.com/JNV0mekaEx

— Adrian Ayalin (@adrianayalin) June 4, 2018

Some 25 families were brought to the OVP by Fr. Flavie Villanueva, mission director of the St. Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center, upon the invitation of the staff of Robredo who saw the first staging of the play at the De La Salle University.

Villanueva said the widows and orphans conceptualized and wrote the script, which tackled the stories of their relatives who were killed in the Duterte drug war.

“Ang layunin ng teatrong ito ay maipahayag ang kanilang saloobin at maghilom at gamitin na rin ang teatro para buksan ang mata ng mga tao sa nagaganap sa lipunan,” he said.

Some of the performers shed tears as they portrayed how the victims were killed through movement, music, and dialogue.

Villanueva said those tears were for real as the performers were recalling their own experiences through their performance.

“When we did it the first time, they could not even utter their lines, that is why it was recorded,” he said.

The hour-long play not only tackled EJKs, but also other criticisms against the Duterte administration such as the China-centric foreign policy of the government, proliferation of fake news and the electoral protest of former Sen. Bongbong Marcos against Robredo.

At one point during the play, actors portraying the role of Marcos supporters chanted “Bilang na ang mga araw mo Robredo” which elicited laughter among the audience, including the Vice President.

Before the play, the Vice President gave a short speech and told the widows and orphans that she empathizes with them as her office continues to look for more ways of helping EJK victims.

“Nakikiisa kami sa pinagdaraanan niyong dalamhati at yun ang dahilan kung bakit nandito kayo ngayong umaga at hahanap tayo ng paraan kung pano pa kayo matutulungan,” Robredo said.

Villanueva said he is hoping their play would reach more people.