It linked these operations to sustained military support from the United States, particularly through Foreign Military Financing (FMF), which has risen from about $40 million annually from prior 2024 to a $500-million package announced in July 2024, alongside expanded joint exercises such as Balikatan.
CABUYAO, Laguna — The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and a global anti-imperialist group condemned what they described as a “US-backed escalation of war crimes” under the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., following the killing of 19 individuals in Toboso, Negros Occidental earlier this month.
In separate statements issued April 26, 2026, the NDFP and the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) blamed the Philippine government and the military for the deadly incident, which they said disproportionately affected civilians, including activists and community workers.
The NDFP alleged that the administration has intensified its counterinsurgency campaign, citing aerial bombings, forced evacuations, torture, and extrajudicial killings in rural areas. It linked these operations to sustained military support from the United States, particularly through Foreign Military Financing (FMF), which has risen from about $40 million annually from prior 2024 to a $500-million package announced in July 2024, alongside expanded joint exercises such as Balikatan.
“In pursuit of its oft-lapsed deadline to end the armed revolution, the US-Marcos regime has escalated attacks against peasants, workers, indigenous peoples, and activists,” NDFP said, adding that such actions amount to violations of international humanitarian law.
Toboso killings
According to the ILPS, the April 19 incident in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso involved indiscriminate firing by troops of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, resulting in the deaths of 19 individuals. Among those killed were reportedly journalists, youth leaders, and peasant organizers who were in the area for a community activity.
The military has maintained that the incident stemmed from an armed encounter with members of the New People’s Army (NPA). However, both the NDFP and ILPS disputed this claim, asserting that the majority of those killed were civilians.
Rights advocates said the labeling of victims as combatants reflects a pattern of “red-tagging” used to justify military operations. “By reducing the slain to labels, the regime seeks to conceal the political roots of the armed conflict,” the NDFP said.
The ILPS added that the attack displaced more than 650 residents, forcing families to flee amid ongoing military presence in the area.
Violations of international law
Both groups accused the AFP of violating the principles of distinction and proportionality under the Geneva Conventions, which require combatants to differentiate between civilians and armed fighters and to avoid excessive force.
“Even in the midst of war, there are rules that must be respected,” the NDFP said, pointing to what it described as the military’s “utter disregard” for humanitarian standards.
The ILPS further asserted that such incidents are part of a broader pattern of abuses, including forced evacuations, occupation of civilian communities, and aerial bombardments in rural areas.
US role under scrutiny
Central to the condemnation is the role of US military assistance. The ILPS noted that the Toboso incident coincided with the ongoing Balikatan exercises, described as the largest iteration to date, involving thousands of US and allied troops.
The group argued that US funding, training, and weapons have enabled intensified counterinsurgency operations in the Philippines. “It is everyday people who are routinely killed with US-provided weapons,” the ILPS said.
The NDFP said US involvement extends beyond funding, alleging that Washington has helped shape the Philippine government’s counterinsurgency campaign through training, indoctrination, and joint exercises such as Balikatan with the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It said this support has influenced military operations on the ground, leading to intensified offensives that have harmed civilians.
Both organizations called for an independent and impartial investigation into the Toboso killings and urged the government to be held accountable.
The ILPS also expressed solidarity with the mass movement in the Philippines, calling for justice for the victims and an end to state violence. (RTS, RVO)
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