THE left-leaning Makabayan bloc on Monday condemned the aerial bomb operations of the military at a peasant community in Malibcong, Abra which started last March 16.
Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao urged President Rodrigo Duterte to order a stop of the aerial bombing operations carried out by the 24th Infantry Battalion under the 7th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army.
“The bombings affected the economic life of the people, safety and security in the villages of Lat-ey and Bangilo, Malibcong, Abra. These even Department of Education [DepEd] officials were compelled to cancel classes in the area,” Casilao said.
Casilao said the bombings resulted the destruction of properties and livelihood. It is in fact inhumane act and violates various agreements signed by the gov’t and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines such as the Comprehensive Agreement in Human Rights and the International Humanitarian Law.
In addition, last March 18, soldiers of 24 IBPA arrested Joshua Gumatay and Antonio Ambalneg Jr., members of Kabataan Party-list in Malibcong, and accused as with link to the New People’s Army in the area, Casilao noted.
“We call on the immediate releases of the arrested youth activists,” Casilao added.
He said “the government’s all-out war gave license to the AFP to justify its act of atrocity against the people in the name of so-called peace and security, when in fact is an act of war against the people,” the party-list solon said.
“We hold the AFP for the continuing violation on the rights of the people affected by its all-out war,” Casilao said.
Casilao called on peace advocates, human rights groups and the public to expose and oppose the resurging state-sponsored violations even he rallied behind resumption of peace talks in April to properly address on both panels this grave abuses of the AFP to the masses of peasants and national minorities.