DOJ clears 17 cops in ‘Bloody Sunday’ raid

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has dismissed the murder complaints filed against 17 policemen tagged in the killing of fisherfolk leaders Ariel and Chai Evangelista in operations in Southern Tagalog dubbed by activists as “Bloody Sunday.”

In a resolution released yesterday, the panel of prosecutors cited insufficiency of evidence for dismissing the complaints filed by Chai’s mother.

Charged were Lt. Col. Joseph Nandu Jr.; Lt. Arjay Santos;  M/Sgts. Rafael Roque and Mark Tolentino; S/Sgts. Elvern Cacatian, Rodel Sillacay and Edgar Brinas; Cpls. Aldrin Gabrillo and Allen Lugue, and Patrolmen Julio Bautista, Ray Dalingay, Grizzly Paras, Rogelio Ninolla, Ruel Tenoso, Rich Tumacder, Renzo Santos and Mark Padul.

“If the prosecutor found probable cause to indict the respondents for a criminal offense, it is his duty to file the corresponding information in court. But it is equally his duty not to prosecute when after an investigation the evidence adduced is not sufficient to establish a prima facie case,” the DOJ resolution read.

The Evangelista couple, residents of a coastal village in Nasugbu, Batangas, were reportedly taken on March 2021 at 4 a.m. after neighbors heard gunshots. They were later declared dead.

DOJ prosecutors said they found no probable cause to file murder charges against the policemen, noting that the gun used to shoot the couple did not match the firearms issued to them.

“The NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) report shows that the bullets found in the bodies... came from a single 5.56 mm firearm. This finding contradicts any form of overkill since it appears that only one person caused the killing of the spouses,” the resolution read.

In January, the DOJ also dismissed the murder complaints filed against 17 policemen for the killing of labor leader Manny Asuncion, one of the nine activists who also died in simultaneous police operations in Calabarzon, also due to insufficient evidence.