The 203rd IBde soldiers’ artillery shelling and strafing once again sowed terrorism in Oriental Mindoro communities. On the night of September 9 until the morning of September 10, they fired bullets and cannons that terrorized and traumatized the Mangyan and farmers.

The military carried out these operations in Sitio Tugas, Barangay San Vicente, Roxas and nearby communities. They justified this brutal operation with the encounter that took place between the New People’s Army (NPA)-Mindoro (Lucio de Guzman Command) and the 1st IB in Sitio Tugas on the morning of September 9.

However, the National Democratic Front (NDF)-Mindoro asserted that the powerful explosions and strafing constituted a serious violation of international humanitarian law (IHL) because they endangered the civilian population.

According to the report gathered by the NDF-Mindoro, strafing and artillery shelling targeted not only the forest but also farmlands, communities of the indigenous Mangyan, and areas the military suspected as fallback positions of the NPA-Mindoro unit engaged in battle. “They showed no consideration for the effect and the possibility that their aerial gunfire could hit civilians,” NDF-Mindoro spokesperson Ka Maria Patricia Andal said.

As a result, hundreds of indigenous Mangyan including children, women, and the elderly from Sitio Tugas and Sitio Swerte of Barangay San Vicente and nearby homes were forced to evacuate. “The sole objective of the 203rd Bde’s terror campaign is to intimidate the people, especially the farmers and indigenous Mangyan, to stop them from fighting,” Ka Maria said.

Past cases of military bombing and artillery shelling in Mindoro caused residents long-term psychological effects, especially in children. “It brought severe fear throughout communities with an accompanying effect on the livelihood of the masses. Because of extreme fear, hectares of swidden farms and farmlands could no longer be cultivated or even visited due to soldiers’ presence,” Ka Maria explained.

The spokesperson also said that the 203rd IBde once again proved to be a ruthless terrorist in its strafing, artillery shelling, and military deployment especially in communities at the border of Roxas-Mansalay-Bongabong. She said while the Mindoreños suffer deeply from the severe crisis, the government squanders funds on fascist attacks against the people.

NDF-Mindoro called on residents of the affected barangays to unite and act to expel the military from the countryside, especially those encamped in community centers. “Unite to stop the bombings, artillery shelling, and strafing,” it said.

She also urged barangay and town officials to stand with the oppressed and exploited Mindoreños. She also called on the democratic sectors, especially teachers, youth, students, church people, and others to support the affected residents in whatever way they can.