New Year, Same War Crimes: Holding Marcos Jr. and the AFP Accountable for Aerial Bombing and Fascist Violence in Mindoro

As 2026 began, the fascist regime of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the mercenary forces of 203rd IBde. of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ushered in the new year for the people of Mindoro with ruthless aerial bombing and strafing of residents in Barangay Cabacao, Abra de Ilog, on January 1. Communities endured successive and indiscriminate bombings and military operations following reports of an armed encounter between the AFP and the New People’s Army (NPA), in which, according to the National Democratic Front–Mindoro, the incident claimed the lives of two researchers and a student, including Jerlyn Rose Doydor of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila; it also left wounded the mother of three Mangyan-Iraya children who were killed. KARAPATAN also reported that Chantal Anicohe went missing after aerial bombing operations. Before this, she had immersed herself in the lives of farmers and indigenous Mangyan communities in Abra de Ilog to learn from and stand in solidarity with the struggle.

According to Kasama TK, the bombing lasted for three hours, during which a total of four bombs were dropped from AFP helicopters, followed by sustained gunfire afterward – the livelihoods of farmers and Indigenous peoples in Brgy. Cabucao was also damaged by the 203rd IBde. At least two cows and three pigs were killed due to the bombs that fell, and the farmers’ crops were likewise affected. Based on data from the local government, 188 families with 769 individuals were forced to evacuate due to intense bombing and aerial strafing and are currently taking shelter at Cabacao High School, while 15 families with 59 individuals were displaced and temporarily stayed in other houses.

The AFP’s brutal forces vehemently denied and covered up the overkill nature of the operation and its clear violations of international humanitarian law. The military insisted that the aerial operation was allegedly for the “protection of the troops on the ground,” while completely disregarding civilian safety. The AFP further claimed that “no civilian communities were targeted.” Yet, videos, photographs, and firsthand testimonies from residents of Abra de Ilog clearly show that the successive bombings from military helicopters caused extreme fear and posed grave danger to the lives and livelihoods of civilians.

Such incidents of aerial bombardment are not new in Mindoro. From January to November 2025, the island experienced four separate incidents of aerial bombing and strafing in the municipalities of Pola, Mansalay, and Baco in Oriental Mindoro. An estimated 1,080 residents were affected by these operations, which inflicted severe damage on livelihoods and forced the displacement of communities due to widespread fear and insecurity.

Mindoro – particularly Abra de Ilog – has become heavily militarized, reflecting the intensifying fascism of the Marcos regime. Just last December, Monet Alcantara, a former mayoral candidate of Abra de Ilog and a known defender of Mangyan indigenous rights, was arrested. Likewise, Dolores Solangon, a Mangyan-Iraya farmer, was abducted and tortured by military elements. The AFP’s military operations in Mindoro are clearly destructive and coercive toward the people, constituting blatant violations of international humanitarian law through the direct targeting of civilians and the destruction of their livelihoods.

There are clear roots behind the intense militarization of Mindoro. Residents have strongly opposed the privatization of Luyang Baga Cave, which is falsely presented under the guise of “ecotourism.” For indigenous communities, the cave is sacred and vital, as it is surrounded by farmlands and sources of livelihood. Communities fear that the project will serve as a gateway for widespread land grabbing and the entry of large commercial establishments. The project covers extensive ancestral lands and was carried out without free, prior, and informed consent from indigenous peoples.

During the ongoing humanitarian mission conducted to determine the full extent of the bombings, troops from the 76th Infantry Battalion under the 203rd Infantry Brigade obstructed and intimidated the humanitarian team conducting a legitimate investigation. Residents were harassed and threatened to prevent them from speaking with the humanitarian mission inside communities and churches. The combined forces of the AFP and PNP also carried out intense surveillance and harassment against the humanitarian mission of KARAPATAN Southern Tagalog, deliberately preventing the free gathering of testimonies from victims. Recently, a military truck and nine armed soldiers were seen stationed at the boundary between Abra de Ilog and Mamburao, alongside the proliferation of military checkpoints in the area.

The Asia-Pacific Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines strongly condemned the Marcos Jr. regime and the AFP’s brutal forces for their ruthless bombings and harassment in rural communities. The coalition called for the immediate withdrawal of military forces from civilian areas, emphasizing that militarization brings no benefit to farmers’ lives and instead results in grave violations of international humanitarian law.

The coalition also extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Jerlyn Rose Doydora and firmly calls for justice. It further demands an immediate end to the harassment of humanitarian mission teams to allow an independent and impartial investigation into the violence perpetrated by the AFP. Finally, the coalition holds the Marcos regime and the 76th Infantry Battalion under the 203rd Infantry Brigade accountable for the continued militarization and repression of Mindoro communities. 

JUSTICE FOR JERLYN DOYDORA!
JUSTICE FOR THE 3 MANGYAN-IRAYA CHILDREN!
SURFACE CHANTAL ANICOCHE!
HOLD THE 203rd IBde AND 2nd IDPA ACCOUNTABLE!

#DefendAbraDeIlog

#DefendMindoro

#UpholdIHL

#StoptheBombing