Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), ordered on Monday, Sept. 12, the accounting of 30 policemen who were charged in connection with the series of police operations in Calabarzon in March last year that left nine activists dead and six others arrested.
Azurin's order stemmed from the decision of the Department of Justice to charge 30 officers, the highest-ranking is a police lieutenant colonel, with cases of murder in connection with the death of labor leader Manny Asuncion and fisherfolk leaders Chai Lemita-Evangelista and Ariel Evangelista.
The investigation into other cases for alleged human rights violations and police procedures are still being investigated.
"My initial instructions were to account for all these PNP personnel indicted in the complaint and ensure their availability to appear in any further proceedings," said Azurin.
Called COPLAN ASVAL, the operations include the serving of 24 search warrants on personalities being linked to Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA).
The operations resulted in the death of nine people--six in Rizal, two in Batangas and one in Cavite.
Dubbed as "Bloody Sunday", various groups and personalities condemned the operation and raised doubts on the legality of the operations and the reports of the local police that those who died tried to shoot it out with the policemen.
Azurin said the PNP will provide legal assistance to those charged.
"Let me reiterate the PNP’s unequivocal assurance of support and cooperation to the DOJ in this investigation even as we assure concerned PNP personnel of legal assistance, if they so require legal representation and services," said Azurin.
"At the end of the day we trust that this investigation will find regularity in the performance of duty not only as mere presumption but an incontrovertible fact," he added.