The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has launched an independent investigation into a deadly April 19 armed encounter in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, Negros Occidental, which resulted in the death of at least 19 individuals.
Among the dead were University of the Philippines student leader Alyssa Alano, community journalist RJ Nichole Ledesma and alleged ranking members of the New People’s Army in northern Negros.
Also among the casualties were two Filipino- Americans identified as Lyle Prijoles, 40, of San Francisco, a country council member of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, and Kai Sorem, 26, of Steilacoom, Washington State, one of the founding officers of Anakbayan South Seattle.
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), in a statement on Sunday, said the death of the two Americans is a serious concern.
Reports indicate that the two American nationals arrived in the country independently toward the end of March 2026 and were believed to have subsequently traveled to Negros Occidental, where they were killed on April 19, the NTF-ELCAC said.
“The presence of two American fatalities in a single encounter should prompt careful reflection on how involvement in certain activities or networks may lead to unintended exposure to dangerous environments,” Undersecretary Ernesto C. Torres Jr., NTF-ELCAC executive director, said
“We encourage Filipino communities abroad to exercise caution in engagements that may extend beyond lawful advocacy and into areas that carry significant personal risk,” he added.
The Philippine Army has maintained that the 19 were killed in a series of encounters between 79th Infantry Battalion soldiers and the New People’s Army (NPA) on April 19.
It also said all 19 were armed combatants.
The CHR, through its office in the Negros Island Region, has initiated an independent investigation amid complaints that some of the dead were non-combatants.
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 CHR said in a statement issued Sunday on its website and Facebook page.
The Commission noted inconsistencies in the identities of the deceased.
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, it said.
“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 CHR said.
The CHR said core obligations under International Humanitarian Law (IHL), even in the context of non-international armed conflict, remain: Parties must distinguish between combatants/fighters and civilians/civilian objects. Indiscriminate attacks are prohibited, and civilians are protected unless they directly participate in hostilities.
“Allegations of unlawful killing or violations of IHL and human rights law require prompt, effective, impartial, and independent investigation, and accountability where a violation is established,” the CHR said.
The CHR also expressed concern about reports that over a hundred families were displaced following the incident.
The Commission calls on authorities to ensure adequate humanitarian assistance, protection from further displacement, and access to basic services, in line with human rights and humanitarian standards.
The Commission also calls on all parties to cooperate fully with the CHR investigation, preserve evidence, ensure unimpeded access to information and sites, and comply strictly with IHL and human rights standards.
“This incident underscores the continuing human cost of armed conflict, particularly in marginalized communities such as those in Negros. Addressing the root causes of conflict, which include poverty, inequality, and land issues, remains essential to sustainable peace, grounded in strict adherence to human rights and IHL,” it said.
“We urge the public to remain vigilant, discerning, and committed to the pursuit of truth, justice, and accountability,” it said.*
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