Local journalist among fatalities in Negros clash

A local journalist from Altermidya Network was among those killed in what the military said was an encounter with New People's Army (NPA) rebels in Toboso, Negros Occidental.

In a statement, the media network identified the fatality as RJ Nichole Ledesma, a writer and editor of Paghimutad-Negros and regional coordinator of Altermidya in Negros Island.

“RJ was a community journalist, editor, and poet. He served as editor-in-chief of Spectrum, the student publication of the University of St. La Salle–Bacolod, where he took a degree in Psychology,” Altermidya said.

“Since 2020, he led Paghimutad Negros, an alternative media outfit focused on human rights reporting and grassroots storytelling. He later joined Altermidya as regional coordinator for Negros Island,” it added.

Altermidya said that during the military operation, Ledesma was in the area conducting community work and immersion reporting on the effects of renewable energy projects on farmer communities.

Citing information from Human Rights Advocates Negros (HRAN), Altermidya said Ledesma was not at the initial clash site in Sitio Sinugmawan. 

“HRAN said RJ was not in the initial clash site in Sitio Sinugmawan. According to the group, he was instead attacked in a separate peasant community in Sitio Plariding during an ensuing military pursuit operation,” Altermidya said.

According to Altermidya, Paghimutad-Negros had long been subjected to red-tagging and vilification, including a 2022 social media post by a military unit linking one of its reports to communist groups.

'Encounter'

The Philippine Army on Thursday, meanwhile, rejected reports that some of those killed in the “encounter” in Negros Occidental were civilians.

“Ano ang ginagawa ng mga sinasabi nilang journalist, social workers, faculty members, spokesperson ng mga progresibong grupo sa loob ng encounter site na may mga bitbit na baril at nakikipagbarilan sa ating mga sundalo?” Philippine Army spokesperson Colonel Louie Dema-ala told GMA News Online in a message.

(What are these so-called journalists, social workers, faculty members, spokespersons of progressive groups doing inside the encounter site carrying guns and shooting at our soldiers?)

“Yan ang tanong ko sa kanila,” he added.

(That's my question to them.)

Dema-ala maintained that soldiers from the 79th Infantry Battalion (79IB) acted professionally and in accordance with International Humanitarian Law.

“Troops of the 79IB showed steadfast commitment to their mission and dedication to duty. Their adherence to International Humanitarian Law and utmost respect for human rights stand as a testament to the professionalism and honor that define the Philippine Army soldier,” he said in a separate statement.

“The [Armed Forces of the Philippines] did not hunt people — it responded to the community's own call for protection,” he added.

19 killed

The Philippine Army on Monday reported 19 alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed in a series of encounters with government troops in Barangay Salamanca.

On Wednesday, the UP Diliman University Student Council (USC) said that a student leader from the school was also among the 19 killed in the incident.

The UP Diliman USC said the student leader, Alyssa Alano, was its Education and Research councilor. —VAL, GMA News