Mother of drug victim killed over mistaken identity clings to hope for justice

Christian Pepaño, 39, was killed on May 18, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. His mother, Lorna, said he had gone out to buy her maintenance medicine for hypertension. A neighbor later told her that Christian had been shot several blocks away. The case matters because the victim was allegedly not the person the gunmen intended to attack.

According to Lorna, riding-in-tandem gunmen and their supposed target wore the same clothes. The gunmen allegedly mistook Christian for that person. They first fired four shots, but Christian ran away. They caught him in Barangay Holy Spirit, where he was killed. Lorna recalled his final words as, “It’s not me.”

The alleged killers have not been tracked down. Lorna said she had seen the gunmen and their supposed target near her residential compound earlier that day. The unresolved case shows how mistaken identity, weak evidence, and the absence of accountability can leave families with unanswered questions.

The gunmen initially fired four shots at Christian Pepaño. Despite those wounds, he reportedly managed to run away. They later caught up with him in the streets of Barangay Holy Spirit, where he was shot dead. The number of initial shots highlights the violence of the attack and the short interval between the first assault and his death.

Forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun and her team examined Christian’s remains. They confirmed that he died from multiple gunshot wounds to the head and trunk. Fortun also questioned the death certificate’s statement that Christian had around two minutes to live after receiving the fatal wounds. She said the injuries were so severe that he likely lasted less than a minute.

The article does not give a total count for every shot fired during the attack. It does establish that four shots were fired initially and that the fatal injuries involved Christian’s head and trunk. The incomplete records made independent forensic examination especially important.

An extrajudicial killing generally means a person is killed by state agents or others acting with state involvement, without a lawful trial or proper judicial process. The source does not provide a formal definition, but it describes Christian’s death as an extrajudicial killing and places it among cases connected to the war on drugs campaign of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Christian was shot by riding-in-tandem gunmen in Quezon City in 2020. His mother said he was mistaken for another person because they wore similar clothes. The alleged perpetrators have not been tracked down. The article also reports a lack of police reports and forensic evidence connected to the incident.

Calling the case an extrajudicial killing points to concerns beyond the shooting itself. It raises questions about who carried it out, whether authorities investigated it, and whether anyone was held accountable. The Truth Commission is documenting such cases to support policy advocacy, institutional reforms, and families’ search for the truth.

The alleged riding-in-tandem gunmen are the attackers identified in Lorna Pepaño’s account. They allegedly pursued another person, mistook Christian for that target, shot him, and escaped. The Philippine National Police, or PNP, is the police actor mentioned in the article, but the case reportedly lacks police reports and supporting evidence.

Dr. Raquel Fortun and her team serve as forensic investigators. They examined Christian’s remains and confirmed multiple gunshot wounds to the head and trunk. Fortun also challenged details on the death certificate, including its estimate of Christian’s survival time and its use of “homicide” as the manner of death.

The Philippine Truth Commission is an independent, civilian-led institution. It gathers testimony, records, research, and public truth-telling sessions about violations and extrajudicial killings connected to Duterte’s drug war. Its role is to document cases, investigate independently, advocate policy changes, and support institutional reforms. The alleged killers remain untracked.

When a death is poorly investigated, basic facts can become unreliable. Police reports, forensic evidence, and an accurate death certificate help establish what happened, when it happened, how the victim died, and whether the official account is credible. Without them, families may face unanswered questions and investigators may struggle to identify perpetrators.

Christian’s case shows the danger. His death certificate, signed two days later, said he had around two minutes to live after fatal wounds to his head and trunk. Dr. Raquel Fortun questioned that account, saying the injuries were so severe that he likely survived less than a minute. She also questioned why “homicide” was recorded as the manner of death.

Fortun confirmed the cause of death despite missing police reports and forensic evidence. Yet Christian’s killers have not been tracked down. Weak documentation can prevent cases from advancing, conceal errors, and reduce accountability. Independent examinations and truth-telling can help correct records, preserve facts, and reopen attention to unresolved killings.

The Philippine Truth Commission is an independent, civilian-led institution established on May 27 this year. It documents violations and extrajudicial killings connected to former president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. Its work combines testimony, records, research, and public truth-telling sessions. The commission aims to support policy advocacy and institutional reforms.

Lorna Pepaño’s testimony at the commission’s fourth truth-telling session described Christian’s killing and the alleged mistaken identity. Dr. Raquel Fortun added an independent forensic account. Her team examined Christian’s remains, confirmed multiple gunshot wounds, and questioned details in the death certificate. Together, testimony and forensic work preserve facts that might otherwise be ignored or disputed.

Public testimony can place families’ experiences into an official record and expose unanswered questions. Independent investigations can test police accounts, correct inaccurate documents, and identify gaps needing further inquiry. The commission’s first conference is scheduled for November 23, when it will release its first report on its investigations and documentation of Duterte-time killings.

Weak investigations can create a cycle of violence because perpetrators may not be identified, challenged, or punished. Reliable evidence helps determine what happened and protects people from being treated as suspects based on rumor or appearance. Due process requires authorities to establish facts fairly rather than rely on assumptions, lists, or unsupported claims.

Christian’s case shows how this cycle works. He was allegedly mistaken for another person because they wore similar clothes. The gunmen killed him, yet they have not been tracked down. Fortun noted the lack of police reports and forensic evidence, and questioned whether PNP databases contained meaningful information behind claimed IDs, raid lists, and hitlists.

Fortun directly linked the lack of investigation to continuing killings. Accurate death certificates, forensic examinations, police documentation, and independent review can create a reliable record. They can also expose mistakes and support accountability. The Truth Commission’s investigations and public sessions seek institutional reforms so unresolved deaths are documented instead of disappearing without answers.