UP mourns deaths of students in Negros clash, extends assistance to kin

The University of the Philippines (UP) on Monday expressed sadness over the deaths of students Alyssa Alano and Maureen Santuyo, who were among the 19 persons killed during an alleged encounter with government troops in Toboso, Negros Occidental.

In a statement, UP said it has extended assistance to bring home the remains of the students to ensure that their loved ones could pay their respects with dignity.

LOOK: The University of the Philippines mourns the death of its students, Alyssa Alano and Maureen Santuyo, who were among the 19 killed in a military operation in Negros Occidental last week.The University also appealed to the public to withhold judgment on why its students… pic.twitter.com/qpZc1Gy61c

— GMA News (@gmanews) April 27, 2026

“We also appeal to the public to withhold judgment on the presence of our students in underserved communities,” the school said. 

It pointed out that “no UP student is limited to lessons learned within the classroom.”

“While initial reports indicate that both students were engaged in community activities for their respective organizations and not university-sanctioned programs, we stand by the right of all students to lawfully and peacefully exercise their constitutionally protected freedoms, especially in furtherance of raising their social consciousness,” UP said.

“The University shall remain a beacon of critical thinking, conscience, and courage,” it added.

The school also expressed support for the independent investigation initiated by the Commission on Human Rights into the reported armed encounter with the military in Toboso.

Alanao was a student leader from the University of the Philippines Diliman.

She served as a councilor of the UP Diliman University Student Council (USC) under the Education and Research committee.

Meanwhile, Santuyo was a peasant advocate and an Associate of Arts student at UP Open University.

A member of the National Network of Agrarian Reform Advocates Youth, she organized basic mass integrations to help UP Diliman students understand the importance of immersing themselves in the lives of farmers, fisherfolk, peasant women, and the urban poor.

Earlier today, Malacañang said it respects the independent investigation of the Comnmission on Human Rights (CHR) and assured that it won’t intervene in the probe.

On Sunday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said the remains of the 19 fatalities have been turned over to their families, as the CHR began its own investigation into the incident. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA News