Despite commitments made under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) to uphold the fundamental rights and dignity of both civilians and combatants, the Marcos regime continues to flout international laws that govern the rules of war. On the 26th anniversary of the signing of the CARHRIHL on March 16, the NDFP International Office condemns the recent spate of killings, indiscriminate firings, cases of torture, and aerial bombing campaigns on civilian areas committed by the US-Marcos Jr. regime.

In the first few months of 2024 alone, consecutive reports of aerial bombings by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have been documented in various parts of the country. In parts of Quezon and Camarines Sur last March 4, fascist troops of the 81st Infantry Battalion (IB) launched an aerial bombing campaign and artillery shelling at the villages surrounding the borders of Tagkawayan, Quezon and Del Gallego, Camarines Sur hitting several areas within the proximity of civilian farms and communities. In Escalante City, Negros Occidental last February 22, more than 10 bombs were dropped by the 79th IB followed by machine gun strafing hitting nearby residential areas. In Bukidnon on January 6, the AFP dropped bombs using Super Tucano jet fighters and fired rockets using MD520 helicopters at adjacent barangays of Minongan, Kawayan and Santa Filomena with bombs exploding near Lumad communities in the area.

These cases constitute part of a greater number of atrocities committed by the US-Marcos regime all of which are tantamount to heinous war crimes under international laws. Moreover, these are clear violations of the CARHRIHL – a landmark agreement that resulted from the peace negotiations between the GRP and the NDFP.

These attacks, carried out in the name of the GRP’s supposed ‘counter-insurgency’ operations also violate the rule of “proportionality” in civilized warfare. The rule of proportionality prohibits attacks that can result in disproportionate harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure. Marcos Jr’s nationwide bombing spree in the last two months demonstrate a clear disregard for the fundamental principle of minimizing harm to non-combatants during armed conflict, leading to unnecessary suffering and destruction.

The deliberate targeting of civilian areas via successive aerial bombing campaigns demonstrates the US-Marcos regime’s callous disregard for CARHRIHL and the sanctity of human life. International humanitarian laws exist precisely to protect civilians in times of conflict, yet Marcos has chosen to ignore these laws with reckless abandon, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake.

The Biden administration is equally culpable to these war crimes for continuously supplying weapons, bombs, war planes, and even directly supervising special military operations of the AFP. Closely following the US government, Zionist “Israel” is the second top supplier of military weapons to the Philippines comprising 28% of total arms sales to the country from 2019 to 2023. In addition, Marcos Jr.’s recent trips to Europe were attempts to expand its existing defense cooperation agreement with Germany to include cyber warfare and maritime security including military training for the AFP and the supply of new reconnaissance drones.

These mounting cases of IHL violations and the complicity of US imperialism in these heinous crimes against humanity present the most compelling basis to indict and prosecute the US-Marcos war criminal state.