Tanggol Magsasaka and Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) condemn the New Year’s Day aerial bombings by the 203rd Infantry Brigade (IBde) of the Philippine Army in Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro.

KASAMA-TK reported that aside from one student, three young Mangyan-Iraya children were also killed due to the bombings. This brings the death toll of the 203rd Bde’s bombing to four. Another youth remains missing. KMP’s regional chapter also disclosed that locals claim that an undetermined number of Philippine Army soldiers died in the bombings.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has said in a statement that one soldier died as a result of an encounter with what it claims to be “remnants of a dismantled” New People’s Army (NPA) unit in Sitio Mamara, Brgy. Cabacao. The AFP said it mobilized the 76th, 1st, and 59th Infantry Battalions and the 5th Scout Ranger Battalion for the attack, which began at around 6 am on January 1.

The military then deployed at least four attack helicopters, which dropped at least 12 bombs and fired guns from the air until noon. The sight and sounds of helicopters, gunfire, and explosions shocked many nearby Mindorenos. Some posted videos online, capturing the offensive and the terror it stirred in residents.

KASAMA-TK also reported that according to local government data, 769 individuals from 188 families were forcibly evacuated to Cabacao High School, while 59 individuals from 15 families are temporarily taking shelter in other homes. In total, 828 individuals from 203 families are displaced due to the bombing. At least two cows and three pigs also died, and several crops were damaged as a result.

‎We demand an end to excessive and indiscriminate aerial attacks and other military action in Mindoro, which has already caused multiple civilian deaths, damage to property, and displacement. Fact-finding and humanitarian missions should be allowed access to the area and victims to further assess and address their conditions.

The 203rd IBde’s aerial bombing and strafing violate international humanitarian law (IHL), particularly rules requiring distinction between civilians and legitimate military targets. Indiscriminate aerial offensives disproportionately put civilian lives and livelihoods in danger. It is particularly risky in Cabacao since it is the most populous barangay of Abra de Ilog.

The mere presence of the NPA in an area does not remove the government’s duty to protect civilians, much less target them directly. Under IHL, non-combatants – including civilian political supporters, researchers, and human rights workers – should be protected from and not targeted by military operations, including intimidation and other psyop tactics.

Along with the aerial attacks, the AFP’s initial offensive also violates rules on proportionality. Deploying five battalions to target “remnants of a dismantled” guerrilla unit, then using multiple attack helicopters to pursue them as they retreat, is excessive and overkill.

Karapatan Southern Tagalog launched a humanitarian mission last January 3 to gather information about the incident and its impacts. But the team has been subjected to surveillance, red-tagging, and harassment. Soldiers reportedly ordered locals to turn them away.

Defend Mindoro reports that the AFP has launched at least four aerial attacks in Mindoro since January 2025, affecting more than a thousand residents. The physical and physiological impacts of these offensives add to the systemic problems faced by the rural poor of Mindoro.

The land problem remains stark on the island. The latest agricultural census reveals that at least 75% of Mindoreno farmers do not fully own the land they till. Mindoro’s natural resources are controlled by a rich few, such as mining magnates. According to the MIMAROPA Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Mindoro Island has 204 mineral resource projects covering almost 59,000 hectares or 6% of its entire land area.

Big “renewable energy” projects also threaten to encroach upon the island’s lands and seas, prompting further displacement especially among indigenous peoples. As of April 2025, the Energy Department has approved 13 wind projects for Occidental and Oriental Mindoro. These could cover about 83,000 hectares of land and sea, equivalent to almost 8% of the island’s total land area. Two such wind projects cover sections of Abra de Ilog.

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