Human rights advocates on Friday, Dec. 9, demanded anew the prosecution of those responsible for the deaths of activists during the “Bloody Sunday” joint police and military operations on March 7, 2021 to ferret out suspected communist members in Southern Tagalog provinces.
They trooped to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and aired their appeal, a day before the celebration of Human Rights Day on Dec. 10.
Charm Maranan, spokesperson of the group Defend Southern Tagalog, said they will also have a dialogue with Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla on Friday afternoon.
Maranan said the dialogue will be attended by Liezel Asuncion, wife of slain activist Emmanuel “Manny” Asuncion, and representatives of the International League of People’s Struggle (ILPS).
“Sa dialogue din po mamaya hahamunin si Remulla na panagutin lahat ng perpetrators ng Blood Sunday (During the dialogue, Remulla will be challenged to hold accountable the perpetrators of Bloody Sunday),” Maranan said.
Also during the meeting, Maranan said the ILPS will ask Secretary Remulla to delist National Democratic Front (NDF) Senior Advisor Luis Jalandoni from the list of those designated by the government as terrorists.
The human rights advocates reminded the government that nine activists were killed and six others were arrested during the March 7, 2021 “Bloody Sunday.”
Those killed, they said, were Asuncion who was a union leader; fisherfolk leaders Ariel Evangelista and his wife Chai Lemita-Evangelista; housing rights activists Melvin Dasigao and Mark Lee Bacasno; indigenous Dumagat farmers Puroy and Randy Dela Cruz; and banana farmers Edward and Abner Esto.
So far, criminal complaints have been filed before the DOJ against policemen involved in the deaths of Asuncion and the Evangelista couple.
TAGS: #Bloody Sunday #DOJ