By day, residents attempt to lead normal lives. By night, police knock on their doors.

In Project Masikap, a tabletop game developed by families of the victims of extrajudicial killings (EJK), justice must be secured within seven nights — before it is lost.

For many, death and injustice are not subjects to be turned into play, especially when thousands of Filipinos are victims of EJK. But for the victims’ families, the game has become a means of spreading their stories.

Facilitated by the Alyansa Para sa Karapatang Pantao (ALPAS-KP), an organization of families of victims of former President Duterte’s drug war, Project Masikap is designed to simulate stories of human rights violations and the rigorous process of holding authorities accountable.

Photo from IDEALS, Inc.

The gameplay mimics a reality where police identify Barangay Masikap as a “hotspot,” a place where the police frequently conduct operations, increase surveillance, and heighten their presence. In this simulation, residents are subjected to killings based on mere allegations of drug use, a direct reflection of the political climate that began in 2016.

Upon assuming the presidency, Rodrigo Duterte maintained a firm stance on killing those involved with drugs. Human rights organizations estimate up to 30,000 Filipinos, mostly from urban poor communities, were killed during his term.

By transforming harrowing family narratives and harsh political realities into a game format, Project Masikap allows players to experience systemic tension firsthand while encouraging collective action to end human rights abuses.

The simulation is now moderated by the families themselves, including 41-year-old Liza Gahi, the president of ALPAS-KP, who lost her eldest child to the drug war in 2021.

“Nandito sa laro ang totoong nangyari noong panahon ni Duterte. Ito ang nagpapakita kung gaano kasakit ang ginawa niya sa amin,” she said.

Gahi shared that their first experience with the game felt powerless against authority, but a second playthrough allowed them to approach the challenge with more confidence and strategy.

As Gahi moderates, she injects personal stories into the sessions to bridge the gap between the cards and reality.

“Gusto naming iparamdam sa naglalaro iyong nangyayari. Kailangan mahuli mo ito, mabigyan ng justice ito,” Gahi said.

The experience is intentionally taxing. Players feel the plight of the victims, the frustration of arbitrary arrests, the exhaustion of gathering evidence and the immense difficulty of holding those in power accountable.

Simulating Resistance

“This is co-developed with the wives, the mothers [and] the sisters of EJK victims. I have to study case files, narratives, mga sinumpaang salaysay and testimonials,” said simulation specialist Mykey Cuento, who developed the game.

With only three actions per turn, Cuento says the game teaches players to prioritize resources, mirroring the real-life legal battles of the victims’ families.

Photo from IDEALS, Inc.

“Halimbawa [sa case ni] Kian Delos Santos, noong una, iyong uncle [lang] niya ang naglalakad ng kaso. It was so difficult kasi maraming nagmamanman sa kaniya. Pero noong nagkaroon ng napatakbong kaso, that is really when the public got onboard,” Cuento said.

“So we are simulating that here. At the start, we have very limited resources, knowledge and little help, [but] the more complaints you are able to put out, the more knowledgeable you become, the more power you have,” he added.

Project Masikap was realized through the support of Initiatives for Dialogue and Empowerment through Alternative Legal Services (IDEALS). The organization believes that documentation must move beyond the courtroom to remain effective.

“Legal documentation alone, while [it] remains the core of our resistance, is no longer enough. What we’ve documented and the stories of the families must live in collective public memory. This is what led us to explore alternative learning tools such as the game,” shared Jeyra Morallo, Senior Media and Communications Officer of IDEALS.

Cuento further noted that while the game focuses on EJKs, its mechanics apply to all forms of human rights violations involving state-sponsored violence.

After the International Criminal Court concluded Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing last Feb. 27, it now proceeded to the 60-day deliberation on whether the case will proceed to a trial. Gahi and other families of EJK victims remain hopeful for accountability. 

“Para sa amin, kapag nabigyan ng hustisya ang mga nag-file ng case kay Duterte, nabibigyan [din] kami ng pag-asa na kami rin dito sa Pinas na may kaso ay mabigyan din ng hustisya,” Gahi said.