By JACINTO LINGATONG
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – It has been more than three years. Yet, justice remains elusive for the victims and survivors of the series of police operations that left nine Southern Tagalog-based activists and unionists dead and others arrested over trumped-up charges.
Last Sept. 20, Nimfa Lanzanas, one of those arrested during the infamous Bloody Sunday Massacre, sought the preventive suspension of Police Col. Lito Patay, who reportedly is one of those who headed the said joint police and military operations and ordered to “neutralize” activists and unionists.
Lanzanas was released in June 2022 after a court dismissed the trumped-up charges filed against her.
Read: Calamba court junks charges vs. 62-year-old rights defender
At the time of the operation, Patay was the head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in the CALABARZON region. He played a key role in securing 63 search warrants from courts in Manila and Quezon City, of which 42 were approved.
The warrants were used to justify the raids that ended in bloodshed.
Lanzanas filed two complaints against Patay and at least 10 other police officers before the Ombudsman in December 2022.
These complaints revolve around allegations of human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests and excessive use of force.
The motion for the preventive suspension seeks to ensure that the officers involved are barred from potentially influencing the investigation or retaliating against witnesses as the cases progress.
“The trauma of her unjust arrest continues to fuel her pursuit of accountability from those responsible, particularly Col. Lito Patay,” said Charm Maranan, Defend Southern Tagalog.
Still in key positions
In a statement, human rights lawyer Josalee Deinla, secretary general of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers, said that the implicated police officers continued to hold ranking positions in the Philippine police. At the same time, there are pending criminal and administrative charges concerning the Bloody Sunday.
“The motion cites Section 24 of R.A. No. 6770 (The Ombudsman Act of 1989), which grants the Ombudsman the authority to impose a preventive suspension on public officials under investigation when their continued presence in office could prejudice the case,” Deinla said in a statement.
She added that earlier court rulings highlight the “need for suspension to avoid tampering with evidence or intimidation of witnesses.”
Deinla said that Col Patay lauded the police officers in its “After Operation Report” and recommended their commendations or promotions.
Col. Patay is considered as one of the “Davao Boys” who played a key role in drug-related killings “under the pretext of neutralizing criminals,” said Deinla.
Other respondents are PMaj. Gen. Marni Marcos, PBGen. Cosme A. Abrenica, PMaj. Warren D. Dilem, PLt. Venerando Mendoza, PSsg Eugenio P. Ilagan, PMaj. Adrian Cayabyab, Pat. Kim Ardel Dionisio, PSSg Cristina Clet Tolentino, and police informant Errold James De Mesa Bustamante.
Support remains
Meanwhile, Southern Tagalog-based activists said they remain committed in ensuring that justice will be served, saying that justice is “long overdue.”
“We are calling for accountability and the immediate suspension of the officials responsible for these heinous acts,” Defend Southern Tagalog said in a statement.
“Our fight for justice will not end until every victim of the Bloody Sunday Massacre receives the accountability they deserve. We will not rest until justice is served,” said Maranan. (JJE, RTS)
