9 December 2021
Pilgrims for Peace/ ACT for Peace
Pilgrims for Peace and ACT for Peace denounce the recent aerial bombings conducted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in a farming community in Sitio Burak, Bgy. Alimodias, Miag-ao, Iloilo. Maj.-Gen. Benedict Arevalo, commanding officer of the 3rd Infantry Division, confirmed that the AFP used attack aircraft to conduct these attacks. These indiscriminate actions, which left at least eight casualties, are clear violations of international covenants, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), a bilateral agreement between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
The AFP’s disproportionate use of force is clearly an overkill. Initial reports state that the bodies recovered from the site had severed parts, so disfigured that they appeared to be like “corned beef.” The bombings left craters that measured 20 feet wide and 15 feet deep. Article IV.4 of the CARHRIHL clearly states that civilian communities must be protected from indiscriminate aerial bombings. And yet despite the horror of the incident, the AFP, unfazed, defended and justified its actions. The AFP’s statement that it will continue this style of combat is an ominous sign of further carnage.
The recent incident in Iloilo is not the first time that the AFP has resorted to a disproportionate use of force. In August this year, news reports revealed the use of aerial bombing in a military operation in Dolores, Eastern Samar. Some of the bombs hit households in the vicinity of the operation but luckily did not explode. According to a report, the said incident killed 19 people who are supposedly NPA members.
The impact of these irresponsible actions on the affected community cannot be overstated. The physical destruction of the agricultural lands and forests, which are sources of livelihood for the residents, will take a toll on their economic well-being. Aside from that, such a traumatic experience will leave lasting scars on their mental health.
The thirst for blood of the AFP and the NTF-ELCAC have alarmed peace advocate for years. The so-called whole-of-nation approach of the government’s counter-insurgency campaign is nothing but the indiscriminate use of brute force and an all-out military offensive that sows fear and fails to distinguish between armed rebels and ordinary civilians. For instance, it does not shy away from harassing and red-tagging teachers and students to force them to behave the way the NTF-ELCAC wants them too. These malicious acts are tantamount to state terrorism and do not in any way contribute to resolving the root causes of the armed conflict and alleviating the lives of millions of Filipinos trapped in poverty and a perpetually underdeveloped economy.
It is only through a negotiated peace that the Filipino people will achieve a just and lasting peace. It is only through formal talks between the GRP and the NDPP that the root causes of the armed conflict will be addressed.
We demand a complete halt to these aerial bombings and the immediate launch of independent investigations on the incident in Iloilo and humanitarian missions to attend to the residents’ welfare. Members of these investigating and humanitarian teams must be given access to these sites. We also call on candidates in the upcoming elections, whether at the national or local levels, to stand in solidarity with the victims of this incident, to hold the AFP accountable for its irresponsible acts, and to push for the resumption of the peace negotiations between the GRP and the NDFP. #
Reference:
Fr. Ritchie Masegman, Convenor, Pilgrims For Peace
Prof. Michael D. Pante, Lead Convenor, ACT for Peace
