Liga ng Agham para sa Bayan (LAB) vehemently condemns the indiscriminate bombing of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the mountains of Impasug-ong, Bukidnon, which led to massive burning of forests in the area. According to reports, at least three tons of bombs were dropped, including four 500-lb bombs that repeatedly shook the ground.

The Philippines is especially vulnerable to impacts of climate change—in particular strong and frequent typhoons, worsening droughts, and sea level rise. The burning of forests will release tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, which will further worsen the climate crisis.

The bombing incident has also endangered wildlife, and could affect livelihoods of communities that depend on forest resources. Forests may be restored, but will take years before they can provide the same ecosystem services. Burned forests may not even be restored to their former state especially when they experienced significant biodiversity loss.

The AFP should be ashamed of becoming agents of environmental destruction. Aside from bombing communities, the mercenary AFP has protected destructive mining and logging companies. Peasants and indigenous peoples living in communities surrounding mining and logging operations have experienced countless cases of harassment, displacement, and killings perpetrated by the AFP.

The AFP may think that this will weaken the revolution, but they are wrong. On the contrary, they will only further anger the masses. The forests, which serve as their source of livelihood, have been wiped out by the bombing. This brazen violation of human rights and wanton destruction of the environment by the US-Duterte regime and the mercenary AFP will only serve to push scientists, technologists and engineers to participate and advance the people’s war.