Human rights groups condemned the 203rd IBde for its new series of aerial strafing and bombing in Oriental Mindoro on March 1. According to Karapatan-Southern Tagalog (ST), the attack terrorized farmer and Mangyan-Hanunuo communities in Mansalay.

Residents reported that two blackhawk helicopters’ first salvo of aerial gunfire occurred at 10 am in Sityo Lomboy, Barangay Panaytayan. The helicopters returned around 2:30 pm and dropped four bombs along with indiscriminate firing in the adjacent sitios of Lomboy, Abaka, and Matarayo.

The butchers carried out aerial terrorism after a fabricated encounter of the 4th IB allegedly against the New People’s Army (NPA)-Mindoro. “The truth is, no [unit of the people’s army] was in the area when the indiscriminate firing and bombing occurred,” National Democratic Front-Mindoro spokesperson Ma. Patricia Andal said.

According to Karapatan-ST’s estimate, the bombing also affected other nearby communities of Buol, Amaga, Tangkulang, Salay, and Proper which are still part of Barangay Panaytayan, and the sitios of Puyuhan and Badi which are part of the adjacent Barangay Teresita.

“This is a clear violation of international humanitarian law (IHL) which prohibits indiscriminate strafing and bombing that can damage civilian property, lives, and livelihoods,” according to Karapatan-ST.

In addition, soldiers continued to encamp in Barangay Panaytayan as part of the widespread combat operations and Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) in community centers. Just last year, soldiers imposed a food blockade in the barangay and controlled the economic activities of residents.

“This is a big inconvenience to residents whose main source of income is copra and charcoal making,” said Karapatan-ST.

Barangay Panaytayan is among the “priority” barangays of the National Task Force-Elcac under the US-Marcos regime’s counter-revolutionary war framework, where state forces forcibly surrendered 200 Mangyan Hanunuo from the barangay to claim that their campaign against the NPA was “succeeding.”

According to NDF-Mindoro’s records, there are currently 11 military encampments in Barangay Panaytayan, including four detachments and seven RCSP operations.

The bombing in Mansalay follows the aerial strafing and bombing in the town of Pola on February 19. “This is proof of the intense militarization under the bloody counter-insurgency program led by the fascist 4th IB and other battalions under the 203rd IBde that continue to victimize the Mindoreño masses,” said Karapatan-ST.