Vol. VI, No. 20 - October 31, 2024

The Marcos Jr’ administration’s callous and duplicitous use of disaster relief as a front for its ‘counterinsurgency’ operations is a glaring betrayal of the victims of the recent floodings in the country. Last week, while the Bicol region lay in devastation following severe floods and landslides, the administration chose not to prioritize emergency relief for affected communities. Instead, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), under orders from its US imperialist master, mobilized troops in a purely combative mission under the guise of “relief operations.”

In Barangay Matanglad, Pio Duran, Albay, the AFP’s 49th Infantry Battalion conducted military operations, not to deliver aid to affected communities but to confront a unit of the New People’s Army (NPA). The operation began in the morning amid hostile weather conditions and ended in an encounter that saw at least one AFP soldier wounded. In a swift response, the NPA unit, forewarned by local residents about approaching soldiers, successfully disengaged, allowing the NPA to regroup and refocus efforts to providing immediate relief to affected areas. Contrary to the AFP’s narrative, no relief goods were seen; the soldiers were armed and primed for combat, not for relief operations.

AFP’s excuse – that it was on a humanitarian mission – adds insult to injury for the almost 70,000 families displaced by severe tropical storm “Kristine” (international name Trami) in Bicol. The local community and barangay officials in the area confirm that they witnessed zero relief distribution efforts by the military. The shameless manipulation of relief reports for propaganda underscores the administration’s readiness to exploit even the most tragic circumstances for its militaristic ends. This misuse of disaster relief as a counterrevolutionary ploy shows how the Marcos Jr. administration prioritizes military operations over immediate, life-saving assistance for disaster-affected communities.

This disturbing incident of using disaster response as a pretext for militarization is not an isolated incident. Last August 14-19, under the guise of “humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations,” American troops launched its Pacific Airlift Rally 2023 in Clark Air Base in Mabalacat, Pampanga, Villamor Air Base in Pasay City, and Ebuen Air Base in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. The said war games were instead focused on the US continuing strategy to use the Philippines as a launching pad for its war provocations towards China.

This further exposes this administration’s allegiance to the interests of US imperialism, which has long supported the militarization of rural areas under the pretense of “stabilizing” the Philippine countryside. So-called ‘counterinsurgency’ tactics of the AFP, including psychological warfare and military occupation of communities, continue to violate international humanitarian laws.  While communities cry out for genuine disaster relief, the Marcos Jr. and the AFP instead perpetuates relentelss militarization and deceit.