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Personalities, netizens cry foul over Rizal cops holding bodies of 4 dead activists

Are we back to where we started in 2020–when everything was mere speculation and decisions not based on science?

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As families of four slain activists got ferried from Antipolo to the Philippine General Hospital, online personalities and other netizens expressed disgust over what transpired last Sunday, March 7, and the subsequent handling of the incident.

The events of what is now dubbed “Bloody Sunday” have spilled over well into the week as a standoff happened between Antipolo Memorial Homes and the families of four of the “Calabarzon 9”.

The families demanded the release of the bodies of their slain loved ones, but the funeral home refused despite the families providing all necessary documents for release as well as settling any fees.

According to the funeral home, the Rizal local government unit and the Philippine National Police asked them to not release the bodies, though they did not give specifics as to why.

This, and the ensuing standoff, would draw the attention of journalists and personalities who would side with the kin of the slain activists.

Rappler CEO Maria Ressa called the situation insanity, referring perhaps to the refusal of the funeral parlor to release the corpses.

Host and comedian John Lapus would agree with Ressa.

Jover Lauro would ask the question on everyone’s minds: why did the funeral parlor refuse to release the bodies of the deceased to their kin.

Award-winning screenwriter Jerry Gracio would call out “Duterte’s policemen” for their lack of respect.

This sentiment would be seconded by netizens, with one calling the Philippines “a darker, more corrupt place under Duterte.”

US-based Filipino journalist Barnaby Lo, meanwhile, shared a thread that likened what just happened to another tumultuous time in Philippine history: Martial Law.

Acitivist Prince Tortugo, for his part, gave a personal account of what has transpired in Antipolo as they happened.

His last tweet would call out the military, as one of them would join the convoy of vans taking the bodies to PGH. He would also call out state forces for trying to cover up the events of Bloody Sunday.

Meanwhile, journalist Inday Espina Varona compared the events that happened in Rizal to what has happened in Cebu.

That story would end up with one of the detained children from USC Talamban Campus being released on the count of false accusations during a raid last February 15, 2021.

PNP Region 7 and the national command would deny all claims of a raid, saying the operation was a “rescue” instead.

Earlier today, Palace spokesperson and human rights lawyer Harry Roque pleaded for a chance with the international community after the events of Bloody Sunday went global.

He would ask the United Nations Human Rights Council to “give the Philippines a chance” and allow investigators to find out the truth as well as punish those who were guilty.

The events of Bloody Sunday have been linked to Duterte’s recent order to the military and the police to kill any armed members of the Communist Party of the Philippines’ armed wing, the New People’s Army.

Bloody SundayCalabarzon 9funeral homeHarry Roqueindigenous peopleJerry GracioJohn LapuzMaria RessaMilitaryPGHpoliceRizalstandoff

Written by Andronico Del Rosario

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