BACOLOD City — A community journalist, student leaders, and two Filipino Americans were among the 19 individuals killed in an armed encounter in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, Negros Occidental on April 19, prompting intensified calls for justice and an independent investigation.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), through its Negros Island Region office, said Sunday it has launched an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the clash, citing conflicting accounts from military authorities and various organizations.
Media groups confirmed that RJ Nichole Ledesma, a writer and editor for Paghimutad-Negros and regional coordinator of Altermidya, was among those killed. Ledesma, a graduate of the University of St. La Salle, had been conducting community work and reporting on renewable energy projects in farming communities at the time of the incident.
Also among those reported killed was Alyssa Alano, a student leader from the University of the Philippines Diliman, who served as a councilor of the University Student Council’s Education and Research Committee. Alano was reportedly in Toboso town for a community visit to better understand the conditions of local farmers when the clash occurred. Her death was confirmed by the UP Diliman USC in an April 22 statement, while the UP Office of the Student Regent also extended its condolences.
Another student fatality, Maureen Keil Santuyo, an Associate of Arts student from the University of the Philippines Open University, was confirmed dead in a statement issued by the university on April 25.
The UPOU also expressed concern over the circumstances surrounding the encounter, calling for “a transparent and thorough investigation” and “full accountability if human rights violations are established.”
US-based groups identified two Filipino American fatalities as Kai Sorem, 26, and Lyle Prijoles, 40, both described as advocates working with marginalized communities in Negros Occidental.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines condemned Ledesma’s death, calling it a stark reminder of the risks faced by journalists and community workers in conflict-affected areas, and joined calls for an independent investigation.
Human rights and advocacy groups, including Anakbayan USA and Bayan USA, denounced the killings and pressed for accountability and an independent inquiry, with some describing the incident as a “massacre.”
However, the Armed Forces of the Philippines maintained that those killed were members of the New People’s Army (NPA), asserting that the operation conducted by the 79th Infantry Battalion was intelligence-driven and carried out in accordance with international humanitarian law.
AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr. said government forces respect human rights but consider armed individuals engaging troops as combatants.
Philippine Army spokesperson Col. Louie G. Dema-ala urged the public to exercise caution in accepting claims circulating online, noting that the presence of firearms and participation in armed confrontation raise questions about the narrative that some victims were civilians.
“We must be careful not to oversimplify complex security incidents or prematurely assign blame without verified facts,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Fernando M. Reyeg of the Visayas Command said the operation resulted in the neutralization of alleged high-ranking NPA leader Rogelio Fabillar Tapang.
The Philippine National Police Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region has formed a special task force to expedite investigations, identify all fatalities, and pursue any individuals linked to the clash. The task force have so far identified eight of the 19 fatalities.
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTC-ELCAC) also raised concerns over the involvement of foreign nationals, urging Filipinos abroad to exercise caution when engaging in activities in conflict areas.
The CHR emphasized that under international humanitarian law, individuals must be presumed civilians in cases of doubt, stressing that allegations of unlawful killings require prompt, impartial, and independent investigation.
It also expressed concern over reports of displaced families and called on authorities to provide humanitarian assistance.
As investigations continue, media organizations, academic institutions, and human rights groups have underscored the need for transparency, accountability, and due process./PN
