A panel of prosecutors of the Department of Justice (DOJ) has dismissed the murder complaints filed against 17 policemen for the deaths of a couple during the so-called “Bloody Sunday” killings in Southern Luzon provinces on March 7, 2021. Cleared for the deaths of spouses Ariel Evangelista and Ana Mariz Lemita Evangelista were PLt.Col. Joseph Nandu Jr., PLt. Arjay Santos; PMSg. Rafael Roque, PMSg. Mark Tolentino, PSSg. Elvern Cacatian, PSSg. Rodel Sillacay, PSSg. Edgar Brinas, PCpl. Aldrin Gabrillo, PCpl. Allen Lugue, Pat. Julio Bautista, Pat. Ray Boom Boom D. Dalingay, Pat. Grizzly O. Paras, Pat. Rogelio M. Ninolla, Pat. Ruel M. Tentoso, Pat. Rich John Melniel L. Tumacder, Pat. Renzo B. Santos and Pat. Mark Lester R. Padul. “While the deaths of spouses Evangelista is undeniable, the evidence submitted by complainants is insufficient to prove the culpability of the respondents herein,” the panel said in its resolution. The resolution was issued after a preliminary investigation conducted on the complaints filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the family of the victims. The couple died in a house in Barangay Calayo in Nasugbu, Batangas when the police were serving search warrants. During the operations, the policemen recovered firearms but the Philippine National Police-Firearms and Explosives Office (PNP-FEO) issued a certification that “Ana Mariz and Ariel are not licensed/registered firearms holders.” A chemistry report made by the PNP Crime Laboratory showed that “both hands of Ana MAriz are negative for gun powder nitrates, while both hands of Ariel Evangelista are positive for gun powder nitrates.” The panel cited the examination conducted on the remains of the couple that “spouses Evangelista were killed by only one person using a 5.56 firearm.” It said that the complainants also failed to identify the owner of the 5.56 caliber firearm. It noted that the police found .45 caliber cartridges and fired bullets inside the house and determined that they were fired from two .45 caliber pistols recovered from the dead couple. “This is consistent with the established fact that respondent Ariel fired upon the operating team while implementing search warrants,” it said. “Even assuming that the evidence points to other respondent/s as responsible for the killing of spouses Evangelista, respondent/s cannot be held liable for murder. In fact, were it not for the violent actions initiated by the spouses, the operating teams would not have reacted and retaliated, as they were at the subject house primarily to serve and implement search warrants,” it also said. “Thus, the allegation of extra-judicial killing is wanting,” the panel ruled.