MANILA, Philippines — The identities of several individuals killed in a deadly encounter between government forces and the New People’s Army (NPA) in Taboso, Negros Occidental, are coming to light. Among the “Negros 19″—the nineteen fatalities from the April 19, 2026, clashes—are two Filipino-American activists and a second student from the University of the Philippines (UP).
The news has sparked calls for an independent investigation by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and various international advocacy groups, as conflicting reports emerge regarding whether all the deceased were active combatants.
Human rights groups and academic institutions have identified the following individuals:
- Kai Sorem (26): A Filipino-American raised in Steilacoom, Washington. She was a founding officer of Anakbayan South Seattle and had reportedly returned to the Philippines to learn the language and serve farming communities.
- Lyle Prijoles (40): A human rights advocate from San Francisco, California. Bayan-USA stated he was “immersing with communities” in Negros to understand the daily hardships of farmers.
- Maureen Keil Santuyo: An Associate of Arts student at the UP Open University (UPOU). The university described her as a “compassionate youth advocate” working with marginalized agrarian sectors.
- Alyssa Alano: A previously identified UP Diliman student and councilor of the University Student Council.
- RJ Nichole Ledesma: A journalist and regional coordinator for the alternative media network Altermidya.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain a point of intense national debate:
- The Military’s Stance: The Philippine Army maintains that all 19 fatalities were NPA combatants. They described the operation by the 79th Infantry Battalion as “intelligence-driven” and compliant with international humanitarian law.
- Advocacy Groups’ Stance: Groups like Anakbayan-USA and Bayan-USA have labeled the incident a “massacre,” claiming several of those killed were civilians or community researchers engaged in non-combatant human rights work.
- CHR Intervention: The CHR Negros Island Region office has launched an independent probe. They emphasized that under international law, “in case of doubt, persons shall be presumed civilians.”
- NTF-ELCAC: The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict expressed concern over the involvement of foreign-based citizens in local conflict zones. Executive Director Ernesto Torres Jr. urged Filipino communities abroad to be cautious about networks that may lead to “unintended exposure to dangerous environments.”
- UP Open University: UPOU issued a call for a transparent and thorough investigation, while also urging “sobriety in public discourse” to prevent the labeling of students and faculty without evidence.
- Humanitarian Impact: The CHR highlighted that the clashes have displaced over 100 families in Negros Occidental, calling for immediate assistance and protection for those affected.
The incident in Taboso is one of the deadliest single encounters in recent years on Negros Island, an area long plagued by land disputes and insurgent activity. The inclusion of international citizens and students in the casualty list has elevated the local clash into a matter of international human rights concern.