The families of nine activists who died last March 7 in Southern Luzon provinces pleaded Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra on Friday, May 7, to ask the police and the military to stop “harassing them and their witnesses.”

Through human rights group Karapatan, the families said that Guevarra had committed to them of his assistance when they met him last April 21.

Karapatan Spokesperson Cristina Palabay, in an online meet with journalists, said: “I think what he (Guevarra) said was he will talk to them, the AFP and the PNP, (Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police).”

Palabay lamented that “as far as we have been looking at the situation wala pa ring let up (there has been no let-up)” on the harassment and intimidation.

Thus, she said, the families of the slain activists would like to meet with Guevarra again.

Guevarra had earlier met with the families at his office at the Department of Justice (DOJ).

He urged the families to cooperate in the ongoing investigation being conducted by the special investigation teams (SITs) formed by the DOJ-led Administrative Order (AO) 35 Inter-Agency Committee on Extra-Legal Killings, Enforced Disappearances, Torture and Other Grave Violations of the Right of Life, Liberty and Security of Persons.

The SITs are investigating the nine deaths that took place on the so-called “Bloody Sunday” operations conducted by the PNP and AFP in serving search warrants against persons with alleged links to communist terrorist groups in Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Batangas.

The March 7 operations also led to the arrest of six other activists.

Palabay said the families of the slain activists have expressed their apprehensions in cooperating with the AO 35 committee since its members also include the PNP and AFP.

“The AFP, PNP are all there in the task force,” said Palabay who pointed out this is also one of the reasons why Guevarra was requested to talk to the PNP and AFP to stop continued harassment of the families and witnesses.

She disclosed that the families of those who died have also turned down Guevarra’s offer that they be placed under the DOJ’s Witness Protection Program (WPP).

“Hindi sila komportable na pumasok sa ganoong program (They are not comfortable to be placed under the WPP),” she said.

“It is understandable, sabi nga ni Secretary Guevarra himself, yung trust must be fostered (Guevarra himself said, trust must be fostered),” she explained.

Meanwhile, Defend Southern Tagalog Spokesperson Char Maranan said the families of the slain activists will file charges against those involved in the killings and will not wait for the results of the ongoing investigations, including those being done even by the PNP.

“So most definitely we will be filing our own charges against the AFP and the PNP which conducted these operations at kung sino pa man ang dapat makasuhan at managot doon sa mga napatay at nakulong naming mga kasama (and others who should be charged and held liable for the deaths and arrest of our comrades),” she declared.

She pointed out: “Hindi tayo aasa sa investigations na kino-conduct ng government offices (We will not rely on the investigations being conducted by the government offices).”