The Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform (PEPP) has condemned the killing of 19 individuals, including journalists, student leaders, and peasant advocates, in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, Negros Occidental on April 19, 2026. Among the slain were RJ Nichole Ledesma, a journalist; Alyssa Alano, a UP Diliman student leader; Maureen Santuyo, a UP Open University student and peasant advocate; Errol Wendel, a peasant organizer, researcher, and artist; and Lyle Prijoles, a Filipino-American human rights advocate. Reports indicate that most of the victims were non-combatants, raising serious concerns under International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which mandates the protection of civilians during armed conflict.
Contradicting Narratives
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has labeled all 19 as combatants of the New People's Army (NPA), while the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) acknowledged that only three were NPA members. The rest were peasant advocates or ordinary villagers, yet they were red-tagged and vilified even in death. The PEPP emphasizes that IHL applies to all, including NPA members, who must be treated humanely if wounded, captured, or surrendering.
Call for Independent Investigation
The PEPP urges the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) to resume formal peace negotiations, addressing the root causes of the armed conflict. It insists that principled negotiations, not surrender, lead to genuine peace. The group also calls for the upholding of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CAHRIHL) to prevent such incidents and ensure thorough investigations with accountability.
The PEPP joins the urgent call for an independent and impartial probe into the deaths of the Negros 19, quoting James 3:18: "When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice." The statement was issued on April 25, 2026, and signed by co-chairpersons Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma and Bishop Emeritus Rex B. Reyes, Jr., along with other religious leaders.
