By Shan Kenshin Ecaldre

CABUYAO, Laguna – Residents of upland communities in Tapaz woke up before dawn on August 22 in terror.

The Philippine Army pounded boundary villages with gunfire, artillery, and air support in an operation against alleged New People’s Army (NPA) fighters.

The clash began around 2:00 am in the boundary of Barangays Artuz, Tabon, and Agpalali, in Tapaz, Capiz, involving units under the AFP’s 301st Brigade. By 2:30 am, villagers reported hearing drones and helicopters circling above. Loud explosions followed at daybreak, shaking homes and forcing families to evacuate in fear.

“Community members confirmed hearing drones and helicopters circling as early as 2:30 am, followed by successive artillery fire and bomb-like explosions at dawn. Some households were forced to evacuate in fear for their lives,” Panay Alliance Karapatan (Karapatan-Panay) wrote in a statement.

Heavy firepower near communities

According to Karapatan-Panay, the military used artillery, armored units, and air assets near populated areas, actions the group denounced as clear violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL).

“These bombardments endanger civilians, particularly farmers and indigenous Tumandok communities who are already vulnerable,” the alliance said. “The AFP’s actions escalate the conflict, instill fear, and displace residents. This is militarization at the expense of the people.”

Karapatan-Panay demanded the immediate cessation of military bombardment in Tapaz and other rural communities in Panay, as well as an independent probe into the indiscriminate attacks.

Military’s version

The AFP admitted that one soldier was wounded in the clash but claimed it had gained ground against the rebels. In reports released to local media, the 3rd Infantry Division said troops recovered two M14 rifles, an AK-47, and a grenade rifle.

The Army added that the operations targeted remnants of the NPA’s Central Front and Regional Sentro de Gravedad, with troops from the 12th, 61st, and 82nd Infantry Battalions, backed by the Philippine Air Force, conducting pursuit operations.

Aside from reports of bombardment, the AFP framed its campaign as part of its peace drive, calling on NPA members to surrender and avail of reintegration programs.

Fear and displacement

On the ground, however, the situation left civilians anxious and displaced. Farmers were forced to halt work in their fields while families scrambled for safety amid the fighting.

Human rights advocates underscored that the incident took place during IHL month, when the Philippine government claims to uphold humanitarian principles in armed conflict.

“For the people of Tapaz, these celebrations mean nothing when artillery rains down near their homes,” Karapatan-Panay said. “Respect for IHL cannot be mere lip service. It must mean protecting civilians, halting indiscriminate bombings, and ending militarization in the countryside.”

Familiar pattern

This is not the first time Tapaz has been at the center of military operations. The municipality, home to many indigenous Tumandok communities, has long been militarized.

In December 2020, nine Tumandok leaders were killed and 16 others arrested in simultaneous police and military raids in Tapaz and nearby Calinog, Iloilo. Authorities then claimed the operations were against communist rebels. Rights groups, however, decried the killings as part of a crackdown on indigenous leaders opposing dam projects and militarization in their ancestral lands.

For many residents, the August 22 bombardment is another reminder that communities in Tapaz remain caught in a war they did not choose. (RTS, DAS)