War crimes survivors from Myanmar’s Chin State and human rights advocates have filed a second “motion to resolve” at the Philippines Department of Justice (DOJ), escalating legal pressure on Manila to launch a formal investigation into the military’s 2021 destruction of Thantlang town.
The landmark legal action, initially lodged in 2023 under universal jurisdiction laws, seeks criminal accountability for the mass arson assault by regime forces that destroyed approximately 1,500 homes, churches, schools, and medical facilities, forcing thousands of civilians to flee across the border into India.
Among those killed were Christian Pastor Cung Biak Hum, who was targeted and mutilated while attempting to deliver medical assistance, and Pa Ral Tu, an unarmed church official who was shot and killed.
CHRO report highlights systematic attacks on Christian minority
Coinciding with the court filing, the Chin Human Rights Organisation (CHRO)—a co-complainant in the lawsuit—released a report detailing sustained attacks against Christian communities in Chin State between January and July 2026:
- Civilian Fatalities: 83 civilians killed, including 21 children.
- Civilian Casualties: 102 individuals injured, including 15 children and 4 religious leaders.
- Aerial Campaign: 1,543 indiscriminate airstrikes documented over the seven-month period.
- Property Destruction: 353 civilian structures destroyed, comprising 319 residential homes, 16 public facilities, 9 churches, 5 hospitals or clinics, and 4 schools.
“The facts bear witness to dictator Min Aung Hlaing’s unrelenting annihilation campaign against Myanmar’s Christian minority… We pray that the Philippines Government, one of the most fervently-Christian in Southeast Asia, will show solidarity with Myanmar’s persecuted religious communities and open an investigation into these crimes,” said Salai Za Uk, the CHRO executive director.
Legal precedent: The Philippine international humanitarian law act
The complainants’ legal team contends that Philippine authorities possess clear statutory jurisdiction to prosecute foreign atrocity crimes under Section 17 of Republic Act No. 9851 (the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity).
Attorney Gilbert Andres—lead counsel for the Chin complainants and common legal representative for victims in the International Criminal Court (ICC) case against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte—emphasized that Section 17 provides an undeniable legal basis:
- Domestic Precedent: The Philippine government previously cited Section 17 of RA 9851 as the legal justification for cooperating with the ICC regarding former President Duterte’s “war on drugs” and enforcing arrest warrants against former national police chief Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.
- Equal Legal Standard: Counsel argued that if Section 17 applies to domestic state actors, it must equally apply to hold foreign military commanders accountable for war crimes committed within the region.
- Court of Appeals Threat: Lawyers warned that if the Department of Justice fails to act on the motion to resolve, the legal team will file an appeal directly with the Philippine Court of Appeals in the coming months.
ASEAN leadership and regional accountability pipeline
The filing comes as the Philippines serves as the 2026 Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), placing heightened international focus on Manila’s commitment to regional peace and human rights.
Regional Universal Jurisdiction & Accountability Cases Against Myanmar Junta
├── 1. Philippines (2023–2026): Thantlang War Crimes & Mass Arson Lawsuit (RA 9851 / DOJ)
├── 2. Indonesia (April 2025): Rohingya Genocide Litigation
└── 3. Timor-Leste (January 2025): War Crimes & Crimes Against Humanity Litigation
Attorney Romel Bagares, co-lead counsel, urged ASEAN member states to integrate judicial accountability and the cessation of aerial bombardments directly into the evaluation benchmarks for the Five-Point Consensus (5PC).
Reinforcing the regional push, Chris Gunness, the Myanmar Accountability Project (MAP) director, stated that Southeast Asian nations are increasingly turning toward the rule of law:
“Min Aung Hlaing is a wanted war criminal on the run from justice. Like Duterte, he should be turned over to face the consequences of his criminal acts,” said Gunness.
