Human rights groups and democratic organizations from Southern Tagalog marched to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on March 7 to protest the injustice to the victims of what is known as the Bloody Sunday Massacre of 2021. It has been three years since the coordinated killing of nine activists in the region by soldiers and police.

The victims are Emmanuel Asuncion, Bayan-Cavite coordinator; couple Chai Lemita-Evangelista and Ariel Evangelista of UMALPAS KA (Ugnayan ng Mamamayan Laban sa Pagwawasak ng Kalikasan at Kalupaan) in Batangas; the two Dumagat minorities, Puroy and Randy dela Cruz; urban poor community activists Abner and Edward Esto; and Michael Dasigao and Mark Bacasno. During the time of the massacre, eight activists were illegally arrested.

In January 2023, the DOJ dismissed the case against the 17 policemen who raided and killed defenseless Asuncion. In March of the same year, the DOJ also dismissed the case against the 17 policemen charged for killing the Evangelista couple.

Not only is there no justice for the victims, “red-tagging, illegal arrests, and extrajudicial killings persist under the Marcos regime,” the rallyists stressed.