📷: Filipino migrant workers and human rights advocates in Hong Kong gather at Chater Road, Central, for a prayer vigil and to lay flowers in memory of the victims of the Toboso Massacre, attributed to the AFP. (Courtesy of Karapatan)
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has expressed grave concern over the reported armed encounter on April 19, 2026 in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, Negros Occidental, which left at least nineteen (19) individuals dead, including student leader Alyssa Alano and community journalist RJ Nichole Ledesma.
In a statement, the CHR said its Negros Island Region office has already 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 CHR noted.
The Commission underscored inconsistencies in the identities of those killed. While the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) claimed the casualties were members of an armed group, other organizations asserted that some victims—including Alano and Ledesma—were civilians engaged in community work. The CHR stressed that either claim requires thorough, independent verification, and that determinations 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 emphasized.
The Commission reiterated that core obligations under International Humanitarian Law (IHL) remain binding even in non-international armed conflicts: parties must distinguish between combatants and civilians, indiscriminate attacks are prohibited, and civilians are protected unless they directly participate in hostilities.
Allegations of unlawful killings or violations of IHL and human rights law, the CHR said, demand prompt, effective, impartial, and independent investigation, with accountability where violations are established.
The CHR also raised concern over reports that more than a hundred families were displaced due to the incident. It called on authorities to ensure adequate humanitarian assistance, protection against further displacement, and access to basic services in line with human rights and humanitarian standards.
The Commission urged all parties to fully cooperate with its investigation, preserve evidence, guarantee unimpeded access to information and sites, and strictly comply 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,” the CHR said. “Addressing the root causes of conflict—including poverty, inequality, and land issues—remains essential to sustainable peace, grounded in strict adherence to human rights and IHL.”
The CHR called on the public to remain vigilant, discerning, and committed to the pursuit of truth, justice, and accountability. #
