Allan ‘Mano Boy’ Aguilando, 42, was gunned down on the morning of 26 May, 2020, in Barangay New Rizal, Catarman, Northern Samar, just a week after surviving Typhoon Ambo, another ‘Yolanda-like’ typhoon in the region that is still reeling from the typhoon’s aftermath.

He was a peasant leader and the Chairperson of Northern Samar Small Farmers Association. According to small farmers’ group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) Aguilando, more commonly known as Mano Boy in peasant communities, had led campaigns to advance the interests of farmers, especially the campaign for agricultural aid in Northern Samar where farmers have suffered from the effects of both natural disasters and militarisation.

In 2017, Mano Boy joined and led the Stand With Samar caravan that mobilised farmers from Samar island to the National Capital Region to demand immediate aid from the national government.

Mano Boy had been subjected to nonstop harassment and intimidation by the army. Rights group Hustisya and farmers’ group KMP said in a statement that Allan ‘Mano Boy’ Aguilando (referred to as Aguinaldo by military reports) was red tagged as a member of the New People’s Army (NPA) when he was just a leader of peasant workers in Northern Samar.

Both groups believe that Aguilando was branded as an NPA rebel by the Armed Forces of the Philippines just to justify his killing, which comes amid the myriad of problems brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The farmers’ group said peasant killings and human rights violations escalated in Samar provinces since the implementation of President Rodrigo Duterte’s  Memorandum Order 32 in November 22, 2018. MO 32 or the declaration of state of national emergency on account of ongoing violence in the areas of Samar, Negros island and Bicol.

Aguilando is the 251st farmer-victim of extrajudicial killing (EJK) under the Duterte administration according to KMP’s records.