Sandugo and Katribu protested before the Office of the Ombudsman in Quezon City on November 14. They expressed support for Julieta Gomez and Niezel Velasco, both former detainees, and to call for justice for all victims of political persecution.
Military and police forces illegally arrested Gomez and Velasco, defenders of indigenous rights, on July 16, 2021. The filed case against them was dismissed on April 8 for lack of evidence.
The protest coincided with Gomez and Velasco’s filing of a “position paper” at the Ombudsman, a document containing their response to the charges brought by the police. They had previously filed a counter-charge in court against the PNP officials responsible for their illegal arrest and detention.
They said holding the officials accountable expresses their stand for justice and responsibility. “By filing these cases, we held accountable the state, including its agents and institutions that violated our rights,” Velasco explained.
According to the groups, the US-Marcos regime’s persistent refusal to punish corrupt and abusive officials only worsens the country’s problem of impunity.
“Marcos Jr must be accountable as the ruler of a system that criminalizes activism while protecting the corrupt,” the groups declared.
