Filipino ´comfort woman´ dies at 94

Estelita Dy, one of the few surviving Filipino "comfort women" who were forced into sexual slavery by Japanese troops during World War II, has died at the age of 94, reported Xinhua.

Lila Pilipina, an organization fighting for justice for Philippine wartime sexual slavery victims, said Dy died of cardiac arrest on Nov. 24.

"Until her recent stroke, Lola Estelita served as the voice of the survivors, ardently speaking out against wars of occupation even as her health turned even more frail," the organization said in a statement.

"Lola" is a Tagalog word that means grandmother, and also refers to the aging Filipino "comfort women" victims as a group.

Lila Pilipina described Dy as "a true warrior for peace, an inspiration for many women in the country and Japan."

"Her message often centered around the need for vigilance among young people, who will be most affected by imperialist wars," Lila Pilipina said in its statement.

In an interview with Xinhua in 2022, Dy recalled her ordeal with the Japanese soldiers, which started in 1944 when she was 14 years old.

Dy said she had kept her wartime ordeal from her family until 1993, when she, along with hundreds of Filipino women, came forward publicly to demand justice and accountability from the Japanese government.

Like many victims of Japanese wartime atrocities, Dy died without seeing what she had desired.

"I actually do not expect to see justice in my lifetime," Dy once said. "But what is more important to me is that young people do not experience wars of occupation like we did."

GABRIELA, a progressive women's group in the Philippines, also lauded Dy for dedicating her life to seeking justice.

"Despite her advancing age and failing health, she remained a powerful voice against imperialism and militarization," GABRIELA said.

According to Sharon Silva, a coordinator of Lila Pilipina, more than 1,000 Filipino women were forced to serve as sex slaves for the Japanese aggressors when Japan occupied the Philippines from December 1941 until its defeat in August 1945.