Photo: UP Office of Student Regent / Facebook
Army says UP student council member killed in Negros Occidental was an NPA member
The Philippine Army has confirmed that the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman student council member who was among the 19 killed in a series of encounters on Sunday, April 19, 2026, was an active member of the New People’s Army (NPA).
The UP Diliman University Student Council (USC) confirmed on Wednesday night that the deceased was Alyssa Alano, the current Education and Research Councilor of USC. According to the council, Alano was in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso for a “community immersion” to study the plight of farmers amid militarization in the area.
Incident Details:
Date and Place: The series of six encounters occurred in the early hours of April 19 in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso.
Death Toll: The total number of suspected rebels killed has risen to 19, including a top Northern Negros Front leader, Roger Fabillar (alias Jhong/Arnel Tapang).
Philippine Army: According to Brig. Gen. Ted Dumusmog of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, the operation was a legitimate encounter based on information from civilians about the presence of the armed group. The military denied that the casualties were civilians and insisted that they were "combatants."
UP Community: UP USC and various human rights groups strongly condemned the incident, which they called "indiscriminate strafing" and a "fascist attack" by the 79th Infantry Battalion. They insisted that Alano was an innocent civilian and a scholar of the people.
Currently, the Alano family and the UP community continue to call for a thorough investigation to clarify the true circumstances behind the death of the student and his companions.
AFP Maintains "Toboso 19" Were NPA Rebels as CPP Identifies Civilian Casualties
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has released a comprehensive list identifying all 19 individuals killed in the April 19 military operation in Barangay Salamanca, claiming that nine of those slain were unarmed non-combatants.
The announcement, issued on Monday, April 27, directly challenges the narrative of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), who maintain that all 19 were members of the New People’s Army (NPA) killed during legitimate combat.
Disputed Status of Casualties
The CPP identified Roger Fabillar (alias "Ka Tapang"), a wanted commander with a ₱1-million bounty, as one of the 10 "fallen Red fighters". However, the group asserts the remaining nine fatalities were civilians, including:
Alyssa Alano: A councilor for the UP Diliman Student Council and student leader.
RJ Nichole Ledesma: A community journalist for Paghimutad-Negros and member of the Altermidya network.
Lyle Prijoles and Kai Dana-Rene Sorem: Two American human rights activists affiliated with the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP).
Minors: Two teenagers, aged 15 and 17, were also listed among the civilian casualties.
Official Military and Police Response
Military officials, including AFP Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner, have dismissed claims of civilian casualties, stating that Alano and others were found with ammunition and had actively engaged troops. The 79th Infantry Battalion reported recovering 24 high-powered firearms at the site, which they cited as evidence of a "decisive blow" against the NPA's Northern Negros Front.
The PNP has so far officially identified and released the remains of six individuals to their families, confirming their identities as local residents.
Independent Probe and International Attention
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has launched an independent investigation into the incident, now widely referred to by progressive groups as the "Toboso Massacre". The presence of American fatalities has drawn international scrutiny, with the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) warning against the involvement of foreign nationals in local armed hostilities.
The clashes displaced approximately 653 residents from nearly 170 households, many of whom remain in evacuation centers.
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