Murder charges have been filed against 30 police officers and personnel allegedly involved in the “Bloody Sunday” incident on March 7, 2021 that led to the deaths of nine activists and the arrest of six others in the Calabarzon region, the Department of Justice said on Wednesday.
Justice Undersecretary Brigido Dulay said the murder complaints against the policemen arose from the operation to serve search warrants in Batangas that led to the deaths of the activists.
“For those involved in Bloody Sunday, as per the EO 35 team, there were murder cases filed with the Office of the Prosecutor against 30 PNP officers and personnel,” Dulay said during the budget hearing conducted by the House committee on appropriations.
Dulay was responding to ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro’s inquiry regarding updates on the investigation into the Bloody Sunday incident.
The DOJ official said a preliminary investigation is ongoing, even as he committed to submit the status of the cases to the committee.
The National Bureau of Investigation previously filed complaints for murder against 17 police personnel.
When asked if the policemen involved are currently detained, Dulay reiterated the cases are still undergoing investigation.
“We’re still at the PI stage. Once this is done, our prosecutors will reach a decision on whether to file information or not,” Dulay explained.
But Castro noted the preliminary probe seems to be taking longer than usual since it involved uniformed personnel.
Castro said the Bloody Sunday operation was “obviously a murder,” citing the case of Bayan Cavite coordinator Manny Asuncion, who was among those killed.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said he is among those who were disheartened by the death of Asuncion, who was shot in a raid at the Workers Assistance Center.
“Manny Asuncion was my friend. We were always texting and talking before. And if there were people who were saddened by what happened, I am one of them,” Remulla admitted.
The simultaneous police-military operations in Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal provinces became known as “Bloody Sunday” following the deaths of Asuncion, secretary general of BAYAN in Cavite, who is a known mass organizer in the Southern Tagalog region, and eight others.
The crackdown took place two days after then-President Rodrigo Duterte said he told the military and police who encounter armed communist rebels “to make sure they kill them.”
The PNP said that of the fatalities, six were recorded in Rizal, two in Batangas, and one in Cavite. Meanwhile, six people were arrested, three each in Laguna and Rizal.
Aside from Asuncion, among those killed were Chai Lemita-Evangelista, Ariel Evangelista, and Michael Dasigao, the group Karapatan said.
The Evangelistas were part of the staff of Ugnayan ng Mamamayan Laban sa Pagwawasak ng Kalikasan at Kalupaan (UMALPAS KA). Karapatan Timog Katagalugan said their bodies were found at a funeral home in Nasugbu.
Dasigao was a member of SIKKAD K3 in Montalban, the group said. Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas identified Mark Lee Bacasno, another SIKKAD K3 member who was shot dead in the operation.
Karapatan also identified indigenous group leaders Puroy dela Cruz and Randy dela Cruz as among those killed in the Rizal operation.
The group added that those arrested included Courage-Rizal member Eugene Eugenio; Esteban Mendoza, executive vice president of Olalia KMU; Elizabeth Camoral, BAYAN Laguna Spokesperson; and Nimfa Lanzanas, paralegal aide to political prisoners.
“All of those who were arrested and killed in Calabarzon starting Thursday up to Sunday, all of them were legal activists,” Renato Reyes, Secretary General of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan or Bayan said then in a virtual news conference.
“They were unarmed, they were legal activists known by their communities…they are not personalities of alleged terrorist groups as the PNP claims,” Reyes added.