The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) announced on January 29 that the prosecutor of the City of San Jose Del Monte (CSJDM), Bulacan dismissed three complaints filed against Ronnie Manalo, secretary general of the group, and others by the military. State forces charged Manalo with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, illegal possession of explosives, and violatons on the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

The complaints arose from the raid and searches 80th IB soldiers and police conducted at Manalo’s house in Barangay San Roque, San Jose del Monte City on June 18, 2024. The military and police claimed they recovered an M16 rifle, a shotgun, grenade, laptop, and subversive documents from the raid.

The prosecutor’s resolution stated “the complainants apparently did not see the three respondents when they arrived at the scene of the incident, as the nipa hut was already abandoned.” The witnesses stated in the complaint were also exposed as fake, such as the presented “former CPP-NPA-NDF member” who was not even in the said barangay when the incident occurred.

“Illegal possession of firearms and explosives along with violations of the Anti-Terrorism Act are the typical charges filed against activists, organizers, and human rights defenders being non-bailable offenses. Manalo joins the ever-growing roster… victimized by state agents in the guise of counterinsurgency,” according to the group.

Apart from the complaints filed against Manalo, various cases of human rights violations were recorded in the barangay before and after the raid. According to the KMP, the raid in June 2024 was followed by a months-long terror campaign in peasant communities in at least six sites of Barangay San Roque, Barangay Paradise 3, and Barangay Tungkong Mangga that affected 400 families.

“The series of threats, harassments, and forced surrenders coincided with the 80th IB’s psychological warfare causing a ‘chilling effect’ among the residents,” KMP said.

Since 2018, many barangays in San Jose del Monte City have been militarized. Soldiers remained encamped in community centers as part of the so-called Community Organizing for Peace and Development (COPD) program. Pushed by these operations, soldiers force the residents to clear their names in the barangay and municipality in cases that have nothing to do with them.