On August 20, 2024, a 30-person team successfully held a solidarity and fact-finding mission in San Jose Del Monte City (CSJDM), Bulacan. The mission is a response to reported cases of human rights violation committed by the 80th Infantry Battalion (IB) against residents of several farming communities in Brgy. Tungkong Mangga.
The mission confirmed the 80th IB’s human rights violations (HRVs) against local farmer-residents. The soldiers set up camp in the barangay hall and a civilian community, violating international humanitarian law. The residents expressed how they were coerced to sign waivers supposedly “disaffiliating” themselves with the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and local farmer organizations Samahan at Sandigan ng mga Magsasaka ng San Isidro (SASAMAG) and Tungkong Mangga Upland Farmers Association Inc. (TMUFAI). In house to house visits, soldiers (sometimes heavily armed, sometimes wearing civilian clothes) tagged them as “fronts” of alleged “terrorist groups” and threatened to arrest those who would continue to attend the organizations’ meetings or protests. In some cases, soldiers presented their interrogation as a “census” or “profiling”, scrutinizing the farmers’ personal details and photographing their IDs or faces.
Despite an atmosphere of fear, the affected residents of Brgy. Tungkong Mangga remained determined to defend their democratic rights to organize and land.
Composed of human rights defenders, church people, peasant advocates, cultural workers, and delegates from other organizations, the team was also accompanied by representatives of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Region 3. The delegation first held courtesy visits to Atty. Miguel San Pedro of the CJSDM’s Mayor’s office and Brgy. Tungkong Mangga Captain Alexander Medina.
On their way to Sitio Ricafort, the team was denied entry by security guards of Greggy Araneta III who claims ownership over the residents’ farm and home lots. The team was forced to turn back and settle at a nearby barrio to conduct the investigations.
The 80th IB continued its operations in SJDM since June 18 after they illegally raided the house of KMP Secretary General Ronnie Manalo in a rogue operation kept hidden from the city government.
updates from the peasant movement of the Philippines 