APNED Denounces Another Blatant IHL Violation by PH Army; Demands Justice after Recent Negros Massacre

We strongly condemn the killings last April 19 in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, Negros Occidental, Philippines, perpetrated by the 79th Infantry Battalion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Reports from the ground point to yet another series of violations of international humanitarian law by state forces in communities already persisting through waves of various land and environmental issues.

Initial accounts from residents and human rights workers indicate that among those presented by the military as “communist rebels killed in combat” are civilians engaged in land reform discussions, community work, and field research.

Among those killed was RJ Nichole Ledesma, a journalist, editor, poet, and community organizer dedicated to documenting the realities of marginalized communities. A committed truth-teller with Paghimutad-Negros, the regional affiliate of Altermidya Network, where he also served as regional coordinator, he immersed himself in rural areas to report on displacement linked to large-scale projects, including renewable energy and plantation expansion. ¹ ²

Alyssa Alano, a University of the Philippines student and student leader at their College of Social Sciences and Philosophy Student Council (CSSP SC), believed that addressing the people’s crises required learning beyond the classroom. She was in Negros as part of immersion efforts, engaging directly with farmers and rural workers to understand how landlessness fuels inequality and unrest. ³ ⁴

Also killed was Errol Wendel Chen, an artist, researcher, and organizer who worked closely with peasant communities through cultural initiatives. His work with Artista ng Rebolusyong Pangkultura (ARPAK) and later with Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) reflected his commitment to amplifying rural struggles. ⁵

We also remember Maureen Keil Santuyo, a peasant advocate under the National Network of Agrarian Reform Advocates (NNARA)-Youth, who became a full-time organizer in Negros, dedicating her life to agrarian justice. ⁶

The lies of state forces tagging these civilians as armed rebels are aimed at justifying the violent killings and discrediting their work. 

Negros Island spans over 1.3 million hectares, yet around 63% remains privately owned. Land ownership is concentrated among landlords and political elites; the Cojuangco family alone retains over 5,000 hectares, exemplifying decades of dispossession that leave farmworkers landless and economically insecure. On the other hand, agricultural laborers are forced to work and only earn around USD4.00. ⁷

At the same time, plantations, infrastructure projects, and extractive ventures intensify land pressures, raising concerns about displacement, environmental damage, and lack of genuine consultation. Corporations such as Hacienda Asia Plantation, Inc.’s claims over thousands of hectares highlight ongoing conflicts over land and indigenous rights. ⁷

These conditions are worsened by sustained militarization under counterinsurgency policies, including the operations of agencies such as the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. Communities report red-tagging, surveillance, arrests, and violence. In Toboso alone, recent military operations displaced over 600 residents. Since the Duterte administration through Marcos Jr., there have been over 120 politically motivated killings, more than 100 political prisoners, and cases of enforced disappearances. ⁷

In this context, the events of April 19 raise serious concerns under international humanitarian law, particularly regarding civilian protection and the conduct of military operations.

We therefore call for:

• An independent, impartial, and transparent investigation into the killings in Toboso
• Justice for the killings of environmental human rights defenders in Negros
• The pull out of AFP units from communities in Negros
• An end to aerial strafing, bombings, and other actions that endanger the communities and environment and violate International Humanitarian Law
• Stop red-tagging and false identification of civilians as armed rebels
• Genuine, people-centered solutions addressing landlessness and systemic inequality

Justice for the victims is not only about accountability—it is about dismantling the conditions that make such violence possible. The deaths of RJ Ledesma, Alyssa Alano, Errol Wendel Chen, Maureen Keil Santuyo, and others demand more than acknowledgment—they demand action. Let us stand in solidarity with the people of Negros Island as they continue their call to defend their lands and resources.

Lastly, the Toboso massacre is not an isolated tragedy. Across the Asia-Pacific, similar patterns persist: in India, rural and indigenous communities resisting extractive projects face militarized crackdowns; in Myanmar, civilians continue to bear the brunt of state violence; in Indonesia and Malaysia, development-driven displacement is met with repression; in Nepal and Timor-Leste, land struggles remain deeply contested. Recent operations such as Operation Kaagar reflect how state security frameworks are used to suppress dissent. These are not disconnected incidents but part of a wider regional reality where defending land and life is met with force. We call on peoples and movements across the Asia-Pacific to stand united against land exploitation, environmental plunder, and militarized repression. Our struggles are shared, and so must be our resistance—until justice, dignity, and genuine peace prevail.