By Mark Vincent A. Durano and Shayne Elizabeth

Two hundred Sundays after the crackdown, the tragic Bloody Sunday Massacre remains unaccounted for. While there had been some developments over the years, progressive human rights defenders and family of victims continue to decry the slow and inconsistent progress of obtaining justice.

Resulting in the deaths of nine human rights defenders and arrests of seven others in a Conduct of Simultaneous Implementation of Search Warrants dubbed ‘COPLAN ASVAL’ across Southern Tagalog (ST), the so-called ‘Bloody Sunday’ is considered as one of the worst days for activists in the Philippines’ recent history. 

The weekend crackdown was preceded by then-President Rodrigo Duterte's straightforward kill order against ‘communist insurgents,’ encouraging state forces to disregard human rights during armed encounters. 

Among the victims were labor leader Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Asuncion, and fisherfolk couple Anna Mariz ‘Chai’ Lemita-Evangelista and Ariel Evangelista, who were members of the Ugnayan ng Mamamayan Laban sa Pagwawasak ng Kalikasan at Kalupaan; urban poor activists Melvin Dasigao and Mark Lee Bacasno, and indigenous peasants Abner and Edward Esto, Puroy, and Randy dela Cruz.

Additionally, arrested were trade union leader Esteban ‘Steve’ Mendoza, KARAPATAN paralegal Nimfa Lanzanas, COURAGE leader Eugene Eugenio, BAYAN-Laguna Elizabeth ‘Mags’ Camoral, activist Joan Efren, and labor activists Ramir Corcolon and Arnedo Lagunias.

Despite the constant appeal of not only the victims’ families, but also human rights groups and experts, the path towards justice remains blurry on top of the probing of Duterte's iron-fisted administration.

November 22, 2018 

Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s Memorandum Order (MO) No. 32 was approved, directing additional deployment of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Samar, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, and the Bicol Region. It aims to reinforce the guidelines state forces have been utilizing to “suppress lawless violence and acts of terror” throughout the country, particularly Proclamation No. 55 and MO No. 3 which proclaimed a state of national emergency due to lawless violence in Mindanao.

2021

March 5, 2021

During his speech in the Joint National Task Force (NTF) - Regional Task Force (RTF) to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) Region X Meeting, Duterte ordered state forces to “kill communist rebels” in armed encounters. He further advised to “forget about human rights” in “finishing off” so-called rebels.

March 7, 2021

In a series of operations of COPLAN ASVAL in Calabarzon, the PNP and the Philippine Army killed nine human rights defenders and arrested six others. Former Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) Chief Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. affirmed the legitimacy of the raids, asserting that they were based on search warrants for possession of firearms and explosives. Meanwhile, various progressive human rights groups attributed the killings to Duterte’s previous kill order, slamming his regime’s “murderous campaign of state terror.”

March 8, 2021

While the PNP backed that the fatalities were caused by armed confrontations with activists, senators called for an in-depth probe into Bloody Sunday. Duterte spokesperson Harry Roque reiterated the legality of the former president’s “kill, kill, kill” order against rebels if there is “military necessity,” adding that the government will investigate the Calabarzon killings. The Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Administrative Order (AO) 35 Task Force, which investigates extrajudicial killings (EJK), stated that they will look into the activists’ deaths. 

March 9, 2021

Condemning the attempted murder of Ilonggo lawyer Angelo Karlo Guillen and the ST killings and arrests, lawyers filed a motion before the Supreme Court (SC) to junk the Anti-Terror Act. The petitioners expressed alarm over the increased number of deaths on the basis that activists “fought back,” further claiming that the scenario is no different from the state’s drug war. Furthermore, the United Nations (UN) human rights office urged the Duterte administration to investigate the incident, given his kill order against activists.

March 12, 2021

In a press briefing, relatives of the victims detailed how policemen abused their authority in carrying out Bloody Sunday operations, citing forced entry into their houses, evidence planting, and erroneous search warrants.

March 23, 2021

In a letter signed by Batangas PNP’s acting provincial superintendent Police Major Karl Jeremiah Dango, the Batangas police’s provincial internal affairs department recommended filing an administrative suit of grave irregularity in the performance of duty against policemen who killed activists Ariel and Chai Evangelista.

April 7, 2021

Led by Defend Southern Tagalog, several progressive groups held an online protest after the burial of labor leader Dandy Miguel, who was gunned down by an unidentified man while riding his motorcycle in Canlubang, Calamba, Laguna on March 28. The groups also commemorated the first month after Bloody Sunday, condemning the slow investigation process and continuous attacks against activists.

May 6, 2021

Few hours after KARAPATAN claimed that a similar operation like the Bloody Sunday Massacre could happen, environmental defenders Garry ‘Kurontoy’ Doroteo and Loreto Miranda Balino were arrested. They were known for opposing dam constructions in the ancestral lands of Dumagat-Remontado in the Sierra Madre mountain range.

June 29, 2021

Following complaints against the executive judges of the Manila and Quezon City (QC) Regional Trial Courts (RTC) who issued the search warrants in the Region IV-A raids, the SC issued Administrative Matter No. 21-06-08-SC. The order removes local court judges’ special power to issue search warrants beyond their judicial regions and requires authorities to record videos of their implementation of court-issued warrants.

July 7, 2021

Forensic Pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun noted consistent lethal gunshot wounds in the Bloody Sunday Massacre victims, alleging that they were deliberately killed. The expert also observed stitched-up wounds, casting doubt on what truly happened.

July 26, 2021

Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. officially retired as chief of Solcom. The general was known for red-tagging activists and progressive party-list groups in the House of Representatives.

November 1, 2021

Dated October 25, the Tanauan City RTC Branch 6 dismissed the search warrant and charges of illegal possessions of firearms and explosives against Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Batangas Spokesperson Erlindo ‘Lino’ Baez who was issued the same search warrants as the Bloody Sunday but arrested on another day.

November 22, 2021

In a two-page order, investigating prosecutor Rogelio Radoc Jr. directed the 17 policemen who carried out the raids in Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, and Rizal provinces to attend the preliminary hearings in January 2022. It was the first complaint to be filed against the officers.

December 1, 2021

DOJ made its first move in its special investigation on Bloody Sunday by charging 17 law enforcement agents with murder over one of the victims slain, Manny Asuncion. 

2022

January 14, 2022

The National Bureau of Investigation filed murder complaints before the DOJ against 17 policemen involved in the deaths of fisherfolk couple Ariel and Chai.

January 15, 2022

KARAPATAN asserted that Duterte, officials of the NTF-ELCAC, then-PNP chief Debold Sinas, PNP’s regional and provincial officials, and judges who issued the questionable search warrants should also be held accountable along with the 17 policemen. 

June 9, 2022

Outgoing Justice Secretary Menarda Guevarra claimed that the DOJ's AO 35 panel will do its best to resolve the Bloody Sunday killings.

June 29, 2022

Political prisoner Nimfa Lanzanzas was cleared of her illegal possession of firearms and explosives via Calamba RTC Branch 37’s demurrer to evidence grant. The court cited the irregularities among the evidence and testimonies. 

September 7, 2022

During the DOJ’s budget hearing, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said they are having difficulty in getting witnesses. Justice Undersecretary Brigido Dulay also hinted at a preliminary investigation and murder charges on 30 police officers and personnel.

December 9, 2022

Nimfa filed at least six cases, including illegal arrest, to state enforcers. Meanwhile, Remulla had a closed-door dialogue with Defend ST and KARAPATAN.

2023

January 16, 2023

Labor leader Manny’s wife Liezl received a 23-page resolution dated October 5, 2022 from the DOJ panel led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Rodan Parrocha and Assistant State Prosecutor Moises Yao Acayan, junking the murder complaint against 17 police officers due to the failure to prove “existence of a crime and identify perpetrators.”

March 31, 2023

Dated December 5, 2022, the DOJ panel led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Marmarie Satin-Vivas and Assistant State Prosecutor Glacy Tabirara dismissed the murder complaint of Rosenda Lemita against 17 cops for murdering her daughter Chai and son-in-law Ariel .

May 2, 2023

Rosenda filed a Motion of Consideration to the December 5, 2022 resolution which squashed her initial murder complaint.

July 21, 2023

The DOJ panel upheld its decision to junk the murder complaint against 17 cops by Rosenda through a resolution dated May 29, 2023 for “lack of merit,” failing to open Ariel and Chai’s case.

August 4, 2023

After receiving the rejected Motion of Consideration, Rosenda sought Remulla for a Petition for Review over dismissing the murder complaint against 17 cops of Ariel and Chai. Defend ST cited the signatory of Manila RTC Judge Jason Zapanta who should have “no jurisdiction in Batangas.”

2024

September 20, 2024

Two complaints on arbitrary arrests and excessive use of force were filed by Nimfa against Police Col. Lito Patay, who was claimed to have masterminded the operations, and at least 10 other cops before the Ombudsman. Patay was also the head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Region IVA and had issued 63 search warrants from the Manila and QC courts, from which 42 were approved.

November 9, 2024

The families of Ariel and Chai staged a press conference, escalating their complaint to the United Nations Human Rights Committee based on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Right to Effective Remedy, Right to Life, at Right to Liberty and Privacy. There were at least 10 respondents, including Patay.

December 21, 2024

Rosenda and Liezl were both able to testify for the first time in almost four years during the Quad-Committee hearing. They highlighted the “defective” search warrants and questioned the operations’ legality. Gabriela Women’s Party filed a motion to summon Sinas and Patay which was then approved.

(Layout by Jonathan Carlos B. Ponio)