Members of the Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) decried the recent spate of killings of activists and human rights defenders.

In a statement, Ateneo faculty and staff condemned the killings of at least nine activists and arrest of seven others in a series of raids conducted by police Laguna, Rizal, Batangas, and Cavite provinces dubbed as "Bloody Sunday."

"We are enraged and troubled that such senseless killings are carried out by our security forces with impunity. We are appalled by this administration's continuing disregard of human dignity and its trampling upon people's basic rights to life and liberty," the statement read.

The members of the Ateneo academic community also sounded alarm that over the selective "rule of law" that has been weaponized against the critics of government.

"We are deeply concerned that our security forces are allowing themselves to be the instruments of arbitrary violence, coercion, and abuse by those in power," the statement furthered.

Ateneo professors and lecturers also pointed out that Executive Order 70, which created the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), was supposed to be led by civilians and the local government units.

"he security forces are not letting civilian agencies take the lead but instead see it as a license for a more ruthless and militaristic 'enemy-centered' approach, reminiscent of the discredited and ineffective security operations undertaken by past administrations," they added.

The signatories also challenged the government to "investigate and penalize those who are exploiting their positions and uniforms to advance narrow interest."

They likewise called on the public to be "more politically engaged to ensure that the government uses its power to safeguard human dignity, uplift the poor, and promote the common good."

As of Saturday, the statement garnered over 135 signatures from members of various University units.