Drug-crazed 2nd IB soldiers shot to death brothers Ronel, 22, and Robert Monsanto, 18, in Sitio Laray, Barangay Aguho, Esperanza, Masbate on July 8. The brothers were herding their livestock when operating soldiers chanced upon and shot them in cold blood.

The soldiers took the remains of the brothers to Barangay San Roque and made it appear that they were Red fighters killed in an armed encounter. They displayed and placed weapons and war paraphernalia on the remains.

Abduction. On the eve of July 9 in Antipolo City, state forces abducted and disappeared peasant leader Melchor Luyao, a member of the Katipunan ng Samahang Magbubukid (Kasama)-Rizal. Human rights groups are currently investigating where Luyao is being kept by state forces and which military or police unit abducted him.

Arrest. The 4th IB and the Philippine National Police (PNP) illegally arrested two farmers’ rights advocates in a barangay in Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro on July 13. Joy Laguardia and her companion were surfaced only two days after being arrested.

Joy has long been a social worker helping farmers. Despite the insistence of relatives and human rights defenders, communications between the families and their lawyer, and the arrested individuals continue to be denied.

“Terrorism” charges. Two unionist leaders from the National Capital Region, Rodrigo Esparago and Ed Cabuelo, were charged with “terrorism” or violation of the Anti-Terrorism Act. They are being implicated in an encounter between the people’s army and the military in Barangay San Fernando Sur, Laur, Nueva Ecija on October 8, 2023.