• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Authorities expressed alarm on the increased involvement of foreigners in local armed hostilities, after two Americans were reported as among the 19 individuals killed after a series of armed clashes between Army soldiers and suspected New People’s Army rebels on April 19 in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, Negros Occidental.
In a statement, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) identified the United States nationals who were among those killed in the incident as Lyle Prijoles and Kai Dana-Rene Sorem.
“These facts point to a disturbing convergence: Foreign nationals in a live combat setting, where the risks are immediate and the consequences irreversible. For Filipinos living overseas, particularly in the United States, this situation calls for heightened awareness and sound judgment,” NTF-ELCAC executive director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres said in a statement.
Aside from elusive rebel leader Roger Fabillar, alias Jhong, who was linked to about 45 killings of civilians in northern Negros since last year, also killed in the series of gun battles, were Allysa Alano, a student activist of the University of Philippines- Dilliman, and RJ Nichole Ledesma, a nominee of the Kabataan partylist during the 2022 elections.
Capt. Judesses Catalogo, spokesperson of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, disclosed on Sunday that all the 19 cadavers were already claimed, either by their respective families, or representatives, from two funeral parlors in Toboso and Escalante City.
According to the NTF-ELCAC, Prijoles had been affiliated with Anakbayan-USA since 2012 and arrived in the Philippines in March 2026 along with Sorem, from Tacoma, Washington, who was also reported by the Philippine Army as a founding member of Anakbayan-USA.
On January 8 this year, Filipino-American activist Chantal Anicoche, 24, was rescued by Army troops following an encounter with a group of NPA rebels in Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro.
House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal party-list Representative Leila de Lima and ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio are pushing for a congressional investigation into what had transpired, to find clarity and the truth, as the Commission on Human Rights has started its probe of the incident.
De Lima, a former chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights and Justice secretary, said that while we support our military’s pursuit of peace and order in the country, “we do not tolerate unnecessary violence or flagrant violations of human rights and humanitarian laws.”
The Armed Forces of the Philippines maintained that the operation was a “legitimate military operation,” as critics questioned the presence of alleged civilians at the encounter site.
Aside from the 19 cadavers recovered, the Philippine Army also reported to have seized 24 firearms, as well explosives from the encounter site, aside from personal belongings and CPP-NPA flags.
The CHR expressed its grave concern over the reported armed encounter which resulted in the death of at least nineteen individuals, including student leader Alano and community journalist Ledesma.
In statement, the CHR, through regional office in Negros Island Region, has initiated an independent investigation. Information from local human rights advocates prompted coordination with civil society organizations, local authorities, and security forces, including working with the families for the retrieval of the remains in Toboso and Escalante.
The Commission notes the inconsistencies in the identities of those dead. While the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) maintains that the casualties were members of an armed group, other organizations assert that some victims, including Alano and Ledesma, were civilians engaged in community work.
Either of the claims require thorough, independent verification. Determination of status, circumstances of engagement, and proportionality must be based on verifiable facts and due process. In case of doubt, persons shall be presumed civilians.
The Commission called on all parties to cooperate fully with the CHR investigation, preserve evidence, ensure unimpeded access to information and sites, and comply strictly with International Humanitarian Law and human rights standards.
On the other hand, Torres encouraged Filipino communities abroad to exercise caution in engagements that may extend beyond lawful advocacy and into areas that carry significant personal risk.
“Awareness and discernment are essential in ensuring that no member of the community is placed in harm’s way,” he added.
With the 19 slain NPA combatants identified and returned to their families, Torres said focus must now turn to preventing similar incidents from happening again.
“When distance no longer shields our people from danger, awareness becomes our first line of protection,” the NTF-ELCAC executive stressed.
Philippine Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala, who earlier denied allegations on social media that those killed during the April 19 encounter were not NPA insurgents but civilians, said any loss of life is deeply concerning and warrants proper investigation.
He, however, said it is important that this fundamental question be answered: “Why are these people armed and in the encounter site, and firing back at our troops?”
“This is not a trivial detail that can simply be ignored or dismissed. The presence of firearms and active participation in an armed confrontation raises serious doubts about the narrative being pushed online,” Dema-ala added.
Dema-ala also said the public should not oversimplify complex security incidents or prematurely assign blame without verified facts.
He added that human rights violations are serious and should be examined through proper legal and institutional processes, not trial by social media.*
