From Luzon to Mindanao, the Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) continues to ravage rural areas. This program is under the Development Support and Security Plan of “Oplan Kapayapaan” initiated by the Duterte administration, but continued by Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The RCSP is essentially the same as the Special Operations Team of the 1990s’ Oplan Lambat Bitag. This was also called “Community Organizing for Peace and Development” and “Community Support Program” under the Oplan Bayanihan of the Aquino administration. This is part of the counter-revolutionary strategy to deprive the revolutionary armed movement of its “physical and psychological base” through intense militarization of indigenous and peasant communities. In the past eight years, these accompanied focused military operations involving hundreds to thousands of military forces.

RCSP violence in Masbate

The 22nd IB and 96th IB placed at least 58 barangays in 12 towns and cities in Masbate island under RCSP operations since January. During this time, 36 cases of human rights violations were recorded in these areas. At least eight farmers were killed by soldiers.

Barangay officials in areas under RSCP are often summoned by the military. Also summoned are those who were forced to become “surrenderees” since 2021. The military also forms various fake organizations and forces residents to participate in sham peace rallies against the revolutionary movement. Residents are threatened with charges if they refuse to admit being active in an organization or having links with the people’s army.

To make people accept the RCSP, local agencies conduct promotion seminars, sports tournaments and provides other “services”. They also screen videos vilifying and red-tagging progressive organizations.

Residents strongly detest the military for promoting gambling and vices such as drinking and other anti-social activities to gather information and spy on them. They also force the masses to join paramilitary groups or become military assets.

RCSP in Mangyan communities

In Mindoro, aside from dozens of military camps, RCSP forces from the 203rd Brigade and PNP-MIMAROPA occupied hundreds of indigenous communities. They usually set up camp in the center or outskirts of villages of farmers and Mangyan people since 2019.

The military targeted four adjacent barangays in the boundary of Oriental Mindoro (Bulalacao) and Occidental Mindoro (San Jose and Rizal). These towns host quarry operations and mining, and the Tamaraw Reservation Expansion Project, which will cover over 100,000 hectares of ancestral land.

Soldiers have imposed curfew and other restrictions. They force the Mangyans to join combat tracking operations for ₱300 per day and ₱500 when tracks are found. Even minors are being recruited as spies.

One of the longest-running RCSP camps is in Sitio Mantay, Barangay Monteclaro, where soldiers have been stationed since 2019. People who come and leave the community, even residents, are required to sign a logbook.

The soldiers enslave the Mangyan to buy and carry supplies. Rape and sexual abuse of women are rampant.

Military operations cause a lasting impact on the mental health of the Mangyans. The elderly and children experience trauma from bombings. Violent interrogations, accompanied by threats under guns or machetes, also cause trauma to the victims. Since 2019, intense torture and psywar during the interrogations drove six Mangyan-Buhid people to take their own lives.