A legislator identified with the militant bloc in the House of Representatives on Wednesday condemned what she called “indiscriminate bombings” by the military in Aurora province.
The military operations, House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro said, “resulted in the displacement of hundreds of families and widespread fear among the civilian population.”
“We strongly condemn the indiscriminate firing and bombing operations of the military in the towns of Dipaculao and Maria Aurora, which have caused immense suffering and displacement among the civilian population,” Castro said in a statement.
Castro, the nominee to the House of the ACT Teachers party-list group, called for a congressional investigation into the incident, urging her colleagues to take immediate action to address the humanitarian crisis in Aurora.
“We need to get to the bottom of this incident and hold those responsible accountable. The people of Aurora deserve justice and protection from the very institutions that are supposed to serve and protect them,” she added.
The lawmaker also expressed concern over the long-term effects of what she called “militarization” of the area, citing reports of farmers being barred from their farms and livelihoods being disrupted.
“The continued militarization of Aurora will only lead to further displacement, poverty, and suffering. We need to address the root of the conflict and work towards a just and lasting peace through the formal resumption of the peace negotiations,” Castro stressed.
“I call on my colleagues in Congress to join me in condemning this atrocity and to support my call for a congressional investigation,” Castro said as she appealed to the government to take immediate action to provide aid and relief to the affected communities and to work towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict.