The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) expresses its solidarity with labor and other organizations from the Southern Tagalog region which held a picket-protest in front of the Department of Justice office today to call for justice for the victims of the Bloody Sunday raids’ victims.

“Bloody Sunday” refers to the simultaneous police and military raids in the wee hours of the morning of March 7, 2021 in the Southern Tagalog region that resulted in the death of nine (9) activists and the arrest of seven (7) other activists.

The simultaneous raids clearly illustrate the Rodrigo Duterte regime’s modus operandi in repressing activists: filing trumped-up charges against activists, asking the courts for arrest warrants on the basis of the trumped-up charges, killing or arresting activists in the course of serving said warrants, and claiming that the activists fought back that’s why they were killed, or planting evidence that will serve as pretext for activists’ imprisonment.

Among the activists who were killed in the “Bloody Sunday” incident are: labor leader Manny Asuncion, community leaders Makmak Bacasno, Melvin Dasigao, Abner Esto, and Edward Esto; as well as Chai Lemita-Evangelista, Ariel Evangelista, Puroy Dela Cruz and Randy Dela Cruz from the ranks of fisherfolks and indigenous peoples. Among the activists who were arrested and imprisoned are: Elizabeth “Mags” Camoral, Nimfa Lanzanas, Esteban Mendoza, Eugenio Tadeo, Joan Efren, Arnedo Lagunias, at Ramir Corcolon.

It is actually revolting that more than three years after the Bloody Sunday raids, victims still have not received justice. The charges filed against the 17 police elements responsible for the death of the Evangelista couple and Asuncion were even junked. Former president Rodrigo Duterte is now being asked to explain his role in the killing of tens of thousands during his bloody drug war; he should also be made to explain about the deaths of numerous activists during his term.

It is disgusting that more than three years after the Bloody Sunday raids, and more than two years after Ferdinand Marcos Jr was elected president, the current government stil has not taken action to serve justice in these cases. Marcos Jr is just claiming adherence to human rights to try to deodorize the Marcos family name, even as grave human rights violations remain unpunished under his watch.

We support the families of the victims who plan to file a case before the United Nations Human Rights Commission in relation to the crimes committed during the Bloody Sunday raids and the government’s incapacity to hold those responsible for those crimes – police and military officers and personnel, as well as government officials – accountable.

Many Filipinos are demanding that the International Criminal Court try Duterte for the thousands of deaths under his drug war. The country’s legal system cannot be relied upon to hold Duterte and his closest associates responsible for these crimes. The same can be said about Duterte’s state repression of activists: victims are looking for international venues in light of the failures of the judicial system in the Philippines.###