The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) has rejected allegations that 19 members of the New People's Army (NPA) were massacred during an encounter on April 19, 2026, in Toboso, Negros Occidental.
Government Offered Surrender Opportunity
According to NTF-Elcac Executive Director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr., the rebels were given a chance to surrender but refused. He stated that the government called on members of the armed group to give themselves up to prevent the encounter. Torres clarified that all 19 individuals involved in the incident were combatants, contrary to claims by some groups that some of the fatalities were civilians, farmers, and researchers.
Torres cited the statement of Maj. Michael Samson, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, that government troops encountered armed individuals and had sufficient basis to consider them combatants.
Forensic Evidence Presented
Strong evidence includes forensic results disclosed by Police Col. Reynaldo Calaoa, showing that 11 of the 19 fatalities tested positive for gunpowder residue. He explained that gunshot residue can easily be lost due to environmental factors such as water, waves, sand, and other conditions, meaning a negative paraffin test does not necessarily indicate that a person did not fire a weapon.
He cited the case of Roger Fabillar alias “Jong,” identified as a commander of the Northern Negros Front and claimed by the NPA as one of their dead, who tested negative for paraffin.
On Thursday, May 21, Police Brig. Gen. Dennis Wenceslao revealed the results of the SOCO investigation, which recovered over 20 firearms, ammunition, communication equipment, backpacks, hammocks, medical supplies, and other war materials at the encounter site.
