Three progressive individuals were killed, while others were arrested, in separate police operations conducted in the provinces of Rizal, Laguna, Batangas, and Cavite, March 7. According to the Southern Tagalog (ST) chapter of the human rights group Karapatan, these individuals were accused of illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

Michael Dasigao and a certain Makmak, both of whom are members of a local organization, San Isidro Kasiglahan, Kapatiran at Damayan para sa Kabuhayan, Katarungan at Kapayapaan (SIKKAD K-3), in the town of Montalban in Rizal, were among those who were killed, Karapatan ST reported, which also dubbed today’s crackdown “Bloody Sunday.”

Manny Asuncion, the coordinator of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) chapter in Cavite, was the third casualty in today’s spate of deadly police raids. He was killed when the police raided the Workers’ Assistance Center in Dasmariñas, Cavite. Graphic images, released by labor union Pamantik-KMU, showed pools of blood inside the office where Asuncion had died.

Chai Lemita-Evangelista and Ariel Evangelista, staffers of Ugnayan ng Mamamayan Laban sa Pagwawasak ng Kalikasan at Kalupaan (UMALPAS KA), an environmental group, based in Nasugbu, Batangas, were also confirmed to have died, according to Pamantik-KMU. Their deaths were reported only upon the transfer of remains to a funeral parlor.

Chai and Ariel were initially reported to be among those who had been arrested. Their 10-year-old son, meanwhile, was able to escape from the operation that ultimately killed his parents.

According to an official statement by the Philippine National Police, six individuals were killed in the spate of operations conducted today. Another nine were arrested, while nine allegedly escaped. The identity of the sixth casualty is yet to be released.

Among those who were arrested were Elizabeth Camoral, BAYAN Laguna spokesperson, and Steve Mendoza, executive vice president of labor union Olalia KMU. A copy of their search warrants posted by Pamantik-KMU revealed that Manila City First Vice Executive Judge Jose Lorenzo R. Dela Rosa was the one who issued said warrants, March 2. Camoral and Mendoza were nabbed during separate operations in Cabuyao City, Laguna.

In November 2019, the Supreme Court clarified that executive judges in Manila City and Quezon City could issue search warrants essentially effective nationwide. But this power, first codified in 2002, was designed to be applicable only to special criminal cases, such as drug-related and other heinous crimes.

Peasant leaders identified as Dodong “Bagsik” and Tatay Moises were arrested in Rizal province. In other operations, Nimfa Lanzanas, a paralegal aid to political prisoners, and Baez, coordinator for a local chapter of BAYAN, were arrested in Laguna and Batangas, respectively. Lanzanas’ young grandchild witnessed her arrest, while family members of Baez told Karapatan how authorities had raided their home and allegedly planted a gun and an explosive to justify his arrest. 

This spate of arrests and killings are the latest in the government’s clampdown on labor unions, peasant leaders, and progressive individuals, particularly in Southern Tagalog. Just earlier this week, two labor union leaders were arrested for supposedly keeping grenades in their houses.

In a statement, BAYAN condemned today’s deadly campaign versus activists, some of which were even local chapter leaders of the organization.

“These attacks on BAYAN leaders … comes at the heels of President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to [the state forces] to disregard human rights and kill suspected rebels,” read part of the statement, referring to the president’s speech, last Friday, in which he told the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) to simply “finish them (rebels) off.”

“This (today’s raids) adds to the long list of atrocities committed by Duterte,” BAYAN added. “We call on our people to be steadfast in these trying times and to not be intimidated. Let us persevere in the struggle to end the Duterte fascist regime.” ●

This article was first published online on March 7, 2021.