• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine National Police (PNP) disclosed on Thursday that 11 of the 19 individuals killed in a series of encounters in Toboso on April 19 tested positive for gunpowder residue, supporting the claim of the Armed Forces of the Philippines that the fatalities were involved in an armed encounter.
During a press briefing, PCol. Reynaldo Calaoa, chief the PNP Regional Forensic Unit–Negros Island Region, said the positive paraffin test results serves as evidence that the slain individuals fired weapons during the clashes.
Calaoa, however, declined to identify which of the 19 fatalities tested positive for gunpowder residue, saying the investigation has yet to be completed.
Militant organizations, including Karapatan, earlier condemned the incident, alleging that the deaths were the result of a “rubout” or “massacre” of civilians rather than a legitimate firefight.
Calaoa also revealed that empty shells recovered from eight encounter sites further supported the military’s account that a running gunbattle had taken place.
At the same time, Calaoa clarified that negative gunpowder residue results do not automatically mean a person did not fire a weapon. He explained that several factors may lead to false negative results, including exposure of the bodies to water.
According to Calaoa, many of the cadavers had been immersed in water, particularly because one of the encounter sites was located in a fishpond. Wet hands, he added, could wash away traces of gunpowder residue. He also noted that the use of rifles could affect the amount of residue left on a shooter’s hands because of the distance between the muzzle and the firearm user.
Earlier, renowned forensic pathologist Raquel Fortun disclosed that autopsies conducted on five of the 19 fatalities showed no indication that the victims were shot at close range.
Among those killed were three minors, according to National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict executive director Ernesto Torres Jr. The fatalities also included two student activists, two foreigners, and a community journalist.
The Communist Party of the Philippines admitted that 10 of those killed were members of the New People’s Army, while maintaining that the remaining nine were civilians.
Maj. Gen. Michael Samson, commander of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, maintains that all 19 fatalities were combatants and defended the legitimacy of the military operation.
Samson said government troops repeatedly called on the New People’s Army rebels to surrender, but were instead met with gunfire. During the clashes, Army Cpl. Johnny Gallano was injured.
“It was a legitimate encounter. Those we fought were armed,” Samson said, adding that questions regarding the presence of foreigners among the fatalities should be answered by the communist rebels themselves.
He emphasized that the military had no intention of involving civilians, minors, or foreigners in the conflict situation.
Samson added that during actual combat operations, it is difficult for soldiers to immediately determine the identities of those involved in the encounter.
Meanwhile, PCol. Dennis Wenceslao, provincial director of the Philippine National Police in Negros Occidental, reported that authorities recovered 25 firearms and eight explosives from the encounter sites.
Following the clearing operations, Samson said the military immediately requested the PNP Scene of the Crime Operations unit to process the crime scenes and properly handle evidence.
Wenceslao also disclosed that authorities documented 58 killings in Negros Occidental allegedly perpetrated by the New People’s Army from 2023 to May 13 this year, incidents which he said the rebel group had admitted responsibility for.*
