The Philippine Army has denied what it called misleading claims circulating online about the April 19 encounter in Toboso, Negros Occidental, which left 19 alleged Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) fighters dead.
In a statement, the Philippine Army said it recognized the sensitivity of the incident and respected the right of families and concerned groups to seek clarification. However, it stressed that any fact-finding effort must be based on “complete, verified and contextualized facts.”
The Philippine Army rejected the findings of a circulating “National Fact-Finding Mission” report, describing it as an attempt to discredit established facts from the ground.
According to the Army, operational records and evidence recovered from the encounter site showed that the individuals killed were not merely researchers or media workers, but were active combatants allegedly operating with Roger Fabillar, whom the military described as a known communist rebel leader facing multiple arrest warrants.
The Army specifically named RJ Ledesma, Kai Sorem, Alyssa Alano, Lyle Prijoles, Errol Wendel, and Maureen Santuyo as among those highlighted in the disputed report. It said the six were found either in the company of armed CTG members, inside an active encampment and fighting position, or among those who allegedly engaged government troops during the clash.
The military also cited statements from Toboso local officials, who earlier said the group did not coordinate with the municipal government despite allegedly presenting themselves as researchers and journalists.
The Army further pointed to Toboso Municipal Resolution No. 077-2026, which declared remnants of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) persona non grata. The resolution cited the group’s alleged involvement in violence, armed insurgency, loss of lives, property destruction, and disruption of local development efforts.
The Army maintained that the operation was conducted under the Law of Armed Conflict and established rules of engagement. It also said the legitimacy of the operation had been affirmed by local leaders, including Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson.
“The Army could not have done that without information from the community,” Lacson said in a recent press conference, referring to the civilian-led intelligence that reportedly aided the operation.
The Philippine Army said it remains committed to securing communities from CTG remnants and ending the communist insurgency.
“While we stand ready to use necessary force to defend innocent civilians from any threat, we continue to call on CTG remnants to abandon their futile armed struggle and to choose the path of peace,” the Army said.