Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc, joined by farmers and human rights groups, have filed four House resolutions directing the House Committee on Human Rights to investigate alleged grave human rights violations (HRVs) and breaches of international humanitarian law (IHL) in Southern Tagalog, the Cordillera and Ilocos regions, and Negros provinces. Also refiled was a resolution to probe the gruesome Fausto family massacre that occurred in 2023.

The resolutions were filed yesterday by ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Louise Co, with support from Tanggol Magsasaka, Defend Quezon, Karapatan Rizal, KASAMA-Timog Katagalugan, the Human Rights Alliance in Negros and Cordillera. The move comes amid the Philippines’ hosting of the Asia Pacific Regional Conference on International Humanitarian Law this week in Makati City.

Before the filing, Rep. Tinio delivered a scathing privilege speech lambasting the Marcos Jr. administration for committing IHL violations while projecting itself internationally as a champion of humanitarian law. “The government is parading its commitment to IHL in conference halls while violating it in our countrysides,” Tinio said.

Filed during the observance of International Humanitarian Law Month, the resolutions urge the House Committee on Human Rights to conduct a formal inquiry, in aid of legislation, into recent bombings, military operations that have reportedly endangered civilian lives, disrupted livelihoods, and violated the basic rights of rural and indigenous communities.

According to the resolutions, multiple incidents across Southern Luzon, Northern Luzon, and the Visayas point to a disturbing pattern of state-sponsored violence:

>> In San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, a civilian named Juan Sumilig was reportedly killed in a “fake encounter” by elements of the 4th Infantry Battalion, according to human rights group Karapatan Southern Tagalog. His remains were allegedly held in military custody for several days, preventing his family from conducting a proper burial – a direct violation of both international law and Philippine human rights agreements.

>> In Tagkawayan, Quezon, military forces launched aerial bombings and ground assaults in Barangay Maguibuay following armed clashes with suspected members of the New People’s Army. The operations disrupted farming activities and left civilians in fear, despite the area being previously declared “insurgency-free” by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and local government.

>> In Tanay, Rizal, members of the indigenous Dumagat community have reported continued harassment, home intrusions, and threats by the 2nd Infantry Division. Community members recall the trauma of past military violence, including the 2021 Bloody Sunday killings of Dumagat leaders Randy and Puroy dela Cruz.

>> In the Cordillera and Ilocos regions, the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance documented aerial bombings and shelling in remote upland communities, destroying farms and forcing residents to evacuate.

>> In Negros provinces, the Human Rights Alliance in Negros recorded cases of harassment, killings, and forced evacuations tied to intensified counterinsurgency campaigns despite granting Negros with the Stable Internal Peace and Security (SPIS) status.

“These incidents reveal a deeply troubling reality: even during a month meant to honor and uphold humanitarian principles, the state itself appears to be violating them,” said KMP Secretary General and Tanggol Magsasaka Spokesperson Ronnie Manalo. “These resolutions seek to shed light on the voluminous violations and hold accountable those responsible.”

The resolutions also note that these military operations stand in stark contradiction to President Marcos Jr.’s 2025 State of the Nation Address, where he claimed the insurgency had ended, and to AFP statements declaring several provinces and regions “insurgency-free.”

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) condemned the military actions and stressed the urgent need for justice for all victims of militarization, the immediate withdrawal of military forces from civilian communities, the reallocation of military funds toward essential services like education, agriculture, and health, and the resumption of GRP and National Democratic Front peace talks to address the root causes of armed conflict, including landlessness and poverty.

The groups urged the Lower House to immediately to consider the resolutions. ###