A group of health workers staged a protest outside the Department of Justice (DOJ) on June 22, calling for the immediate release of detained physician Dr. Ana Marie Rilloraza and health worker Marc Mendiola, as well as other individuals they describe as political prisoners.

The protesters also demanded justice for victims of alleged human rights violations and called for the abolition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

Rilloraza and Mendiola are among the so-called “Cordillera 8,” who were arrested in Tarlac on March 11, 2026. They are facing charges that include illegal possession of firearms and explosives, murder, attempted homicide, and alleged violations of international humanitarian law.

The demonstrators urged the DOJ to review the cases, while authorities have maintained that the charges are being addressed through the proper legal process.