Independent probe of Negros Occidental clash sought

MANILA, Philippines — Rights group Karapatan is seeking an independent investigation into a recent encounter that killed 19 people in Toboso, Negros Occidental.

Members of Karapatan and allied groups yesterday held a rally in front of Camp Aguinaldo to protest the firefight, which they described as not a legitimate military operation, but a massacre.

Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said only an independent investigation can shed light on the matter as rights advocates do not believe the claims of the military that the fatalities fought back.

Among the fatalities were Alyssa Alano, a member of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman student council, and RJ Nichole Ledesma, a nominee of the Kabataan party-list group.

Militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said it is seeking justice for the victims.

Bayan secretary general Raymond Palatino said that the fatalities were not rebels, but farmers, cultural workers and youth activists.

“It has become evident that state troopers massacred more than a dozen individuals in several barangays and engaged in a malicious cover-up to evade accountability,” Palatino said in a statement.

As this developed, the UP Diliman committee on the protection of academic freedom and human rights condemned the killing of Alano.

“We call on the government to account for the death of Alyssa and other Toboso fatalities, among them an alumnus of the UP Open University and community journalist,” the committee said.

The UP panel demanded for a transparent and impartial investigation, and gave rights organizations and response teams access to information and resources needed to conduct their own probe.

“The AFP’s narrative that the fatalities were combatants of the New People’s Army (NPA) must be challenged by fact-finding, especially since this narrative has historically been used to justify the killing of civilians in the province,” the committee said.

The panel cited previous incidents of murder of activists, community organizers, rights workers and members of farmers’ groups such as the Sagay 9 massacre in 2018.

‘Rebel’ killed in fresh clash

Another encounter broke out on Negros island on Thursday, which resulted in the death of  a suspected NPA guerrilla.

The alleged rebel, identified as Jomarie Pañe, was killed in a firefight in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.

Brig. Gen. Ted Dumosmog, chief of the Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade, said that soldiers of the 62nd Infantry Battalion clashed with about 10 members of the NPA’s Central Negros 1-Komiteng Rehiyonal in Barangay Bucalan.

Aside from the body of Pañe, soldiers recovered a rifle at the scene of the encounter.

Another firefight reportedly occurred in nearby Barangay Binalbagan, which resulted in the recovery of a rifle.

The military expressed belief that several guerrillas were wounded, noting that bloodstains were found along the rebels’ escape route.

Meanwhile, three people were killed in separate attacks believed perpetrated by members of the communist group in Sipalay, Negros Occidental on Wednesday.

The NPA’s Armando Sumayang Jr. Command has issued a statement claiming responsibility for the death of a farmer in Barangay Manlocahoc.

On the same day, a woman and her three-year-old daughter were killed while three others were wounded in another attack in the nearby village of Nabulao.

Investigation showed that two armed men barged into the house of the victims and shot them without provocation.

Probers recovered several bullet shells  at the scene of the attack. — Bella Cariaso, Gilbert Bayoran