MANILA – The widespread militarization and reported aerial strafing in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Southern Tagalog region prompted an international group and Asian indigenous peoples to call on the Philippine military to uphold international humanitarian law (IHL).

“Locals report that the military is employing martial law in nearby communities: from economic blockade and military lockdowns to the deployment of soldiers in civilian areas,” said International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) in a statement.

Elements of the 76th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (IBPA) have reportedly conducted aerial strafing in Brgy. Tagumpay on February 19, due to an encounter with the New People’s’ Army (NPA), according to local indigenous rights group Bigkis at Lakas ng mga Katutubo sa Timog Katagalugan (BALATIK). 

“The military’s use of aerial artillery has caused severe distress and trauma to the residents of the affected areas. In the town of Pola, the artillery rounds have damaged their farms, affecting the livelihood of local farmers and preventing them from tending to their crops and livestock,” ICHRP added.

Asian indigenous peoples and advocates from Indonesia, India, Tripura, Bangladesh, Nepal, Denmark, and Australia express their solidarity with the Mangyan indigenous peoples in Mindoro and join the call to uphold Mangyan rights to ancestral lands and self determination, to stop the militarization, and uphold the IHL.

In the initial report of Bulatlat, BALATIK revealed that the population of Mangyan indigenous people is vulnerable in the military operations. Karapatan Southern Tagalog (ST) conducted an independent fact-finding mission in several barangays in Pola, Oriental Mindoro, and verified the civilian situation in the area.

Read: Alleged aerial strafing in Oriental Mindoro endangers civilians, indigenous people — groups

The fact-finding mission confirmed the conduct of aerial strafing, military occupation of schools, movement restriction through curfew and checkpoints, forced displacement of the residents, and seizure of civilian supplies. 

Rule 12 of the IHL prohibits indiscriminate attacks, especially against civilian population or civilian objects/structures. 

The IHL rule defines indiscriminate attacks as “those which employ a method or means of combat the effects of which cannot be limited as required by international humanitarian law; and consequently, in each such case, are of a nature to strike military objectives and civilians or civilian objects without distinction.” 

The IHL prohibits forced displacement, as the Article 17 of Additional Protocol II to Geneva Conventions states, “the displacement of the civilian population shall not be ordered for reasons related to the conflict.” The use of terror to force its displacement is a forbidden method of warfare, which applies to international and internal conflicts, according to the IHL.

“Aside from fear-mongering towards the residents, the militarization also impedes the livelihood of the residents, mainly affecting their fishing, cultivation of banana, coconut, and other crops, herding animals, and even their alternative source of income,” Karapatan ST noted.

During the span of the fact-finding mission, Karapatan ST encountered harassment, intimidation, and surveillance.  They also went to various barangay offices and local government offices to at least conduct a courtesy call and inform the officials about their independent mission. Their findings posted on social media were branded as “fake news” by the 203rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army.

“The village chief quickly instructed his personnel to reject the humanitarian team, prohibiting any form of assistance, reception, or communication with them. Fear spread among residents that they would be summoned or reprimanded if reported to the chief for engaging with the humanitarian mission,” said Karapatan ST.

Nearly a week after the reported encounter, no clear program has been established to address food and livelihood needs, Karapatan added, saying that barangay officials admit that the local government lacks funds.

The mission report states that residents reported that the series of gunfire from the mountains lasted for three hours. Four helicopters continued to circle the area for hours after the gunfire, flying over houses and coastal areas. Aerial strafing was also reported in Sitio Bakyaan on the day of the encounter. Soldiers quickly set up barricades and checkpoints around the site, which remain in place.

The International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL) calls on the Philippine government to allow the humanitarian mission spearheaded by Karapatan ST to carry out their work free from harassment and intimidation. They also joined ICHRP and local human rights groups to immediately halt the military operations in the Mindoro province.

“These reckless operations are clear violations of IHL. Earlier incidents in the island shows that the Philippine Army has no regard for the lives of Indigenous Peoples as these air strikes have no clear targets, basically carpet bombing large portions of the island regardless if there are civilians in these areas,” said IPMSDL in a statement.

Both IPMSDL and ICHRP linked the intensifying militarization in the Mindoro province to big infrastructure and development projects under the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “These include a planned nuclear power plant in Occidental Mindoro, several airports in Oriental Mindoro, and the plan to turn the island into a power hub of Southern Luzon, supposedly to boost local manufacturing and inter-regional trade,” said ICHRP.

Maharlika Investment Corporation (MIC) signed an agreement last year with the provincial governments of Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro, the Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative, Occidental Electric Cooperative Inc., and the National Electrification Administration in a bid to revitalize the power sector.

The Philippine government is also eyeing Occidental Mindoro and Palawan from 2023 for the establishment of small modular nuclear reactor facilities. 

ICHRP noted that the militarization in the province aims to attract more foreign investors, foreign direct investment, and facilitate entry of multinational companies by ensuring that the island is “Conflict Manageable and Ready for Development (CMFRD),” to describe an area “stable” and suitable for economic development. Since 2015, AFP Southern Luzon Command announced that Oriental Mindoro is “conflict manageable,” while in 2023, the military stated that the region is the site of their focused military operations. 

“They have displaced the Mangyan Indigenous People from their ancestral lands to make way for huge multinational mining companies. They have terrorized, harassed, and routinely red-tagged farmers,” said ICHRP, stating these acts as violations of the IHL.
ICHRP called for immediate psychosocial support and relief for traumatized residents. They are also mobilizing support and collecting donations to send to the local human rights group in Mindoro, to provide immediate support for victims of militarization. Karapatan ST has been conducting basic human rights orientation to the civilian communities in the Oriental Mindoro. (RTS, RVO)