The New People’s Army (NPA)-Mindoro (Lucio de Guzman Command) issued a warning to Pvt. Oman Balitang Hagan because of his brazen theft of domestic animals in the barangays of Naibuan and Monteclaro in the town of San Jose, and Manoot in the town of Rizal. Hagan is from the indigenous Buhid-Mangyan group who became a soldier under the “special enlistment” of the Philippine Army.

The residents complained of Hagan and filed a complaint against him before the Democratic People’s Government (DGB) on the island. According to the report of residents, since the military encampment of the 203rd IBde in Sitio Mantay, Barangay Monteclaro, robbery and other crimes disrupting the livelihood and peace of the residents have become rampant.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police use the Buhid-Mangyans and recruit them under “special enlistment” for these crimes to divide the ranks of the minorities. They are used as the “most trusted agents” of the butcher soldiers and police in the area.

Hagan also colluded with Pvt. Mayuay Unaw who was killed in a punitive action in April 2023 due to his role in forced surrender, threats, intimidation and other abuses and violations of human rights by the 203rd Bde and PNP MIMAROPA against the native Buhid-Mangyan in said barangay.

“The cases of Unaw and Hagan prove that AFP and PNP butchers are vicious anti-people criminals and human rights violators who sow unrest and terror wherever they are,” according to Ka Madaay Gasic, spokesperson of the NPA-Mindoro.

Under the then US-Duterte regime, the AFP and the National Task Force-Elcac pushed the “indigenous people-centric” campaign or focusing on the national minorities to divide them and break their unity. The regime in 2021 passed a law (Republic Act 11549) that lowers the height requirement for indigenous people to enlist in its armed forces units and use them against their fellow villagers.