Karapatan: 19 deaths in Toboso a 'massacre'

Rights group Karapatan maintains the deaths of 19 individuals in Toboso, Negros Occidental, resulted from a massacre rather than an encounter as claimed by the military. 

According to Oscar Oida’s report in “24 Oras” on Wednesday, friends and relatives of those killed in the clash between the Philippine Army and the New People's Army (NPA) in Toboso last April 19 became emotional. 

“In some of his trips he helped evacuate flood victims during the typhoons and he helped struggling communities. It was his passion, curiosity, and determination to help more that brought him to Negros,” said Lily, sister of Lyle Prijoles, a Filipino-American killed in the encounter. 

“Napakadami pang mga nagawa ni Maureen sa bansang ito. Kaya napakasakit sa aming pamilya na pinagtatawanan sila tinatawag silang ‘corned beef,’” said Mikki Santuyo, sister of Maureen Keil Santuyo. 

(Maureen did so much for this country. That is why it is so painful for our family that they are being mocked and called ‘corned beef.’) 

“She wanted more than anything to learn and connect to her roots as a Filipino-American. Our family migrated abroad many generations ago, but Kai still wanted to learn more about our ancestry here,” said PJ, brother of Dana Sorem, another Filipino-American who was among those killed. 

The group described what happened as a possible massacre. 

“Meron po kaming nilabas sa aming pahayag na drone video footage di po sa amin galing ‘yun. Galing po ‘yun reportedly sa drone footage ng Armed Forces of the Philippines, na nagpapakita po ai Roger Fabillar, isang NPA leader ay buhay at mukhang not in a capacity to fight back,” said Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay. 

(We released a statement regarding a drone video footage that did not come from us. It reportedly came from the drone footage of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which shows Roger Fabillar, an NPA leader, alive and seemingly not in a capacity to fight back.) 

“Buhay siya, tumingin pa siya sa drone. I believe it was taken down sa isang publication pero marami naman po ang nakapag-download.” 

(He was alive; he even looked at the drone. I believe it was taken down from one publication, but many were able to download it.) 

The group asserted that the military must be held accountable for its earlier claims the fatalities were communist insurgents. 

“What happened in Toboso is a massacre. They are blatant violations of the principles that should apply in an armed encounter,” said Julianne Agpalo of National Union of Peoples Lawyers. 

Karapatan is now calling for a fair and just investigation of the incident. 

“Ang hinihingi ng taumbayan -  independent and objective. Hindi pwedeng pang explain lang sa ginawa ng AFP…In the four Geneva conventions, bawal patayin ang prisoner of war. Baka naman may nahuli kayo gaya ng kwento ni Tinay. Bakit niyo babarilin pa?” said human rights lawyer Neri Colmenares. 

(What the people are asking for is [an investigation that is] independent and objective. It shouldn’t just be used to explain away the actions of the AFP... In the four Geneva Conventions, it is forbidden to kill a prisoner of war. Perhaps you captured someone, like in Tinay’s story. Why would you still shoot them?) 

GMA News has reached out to the AFP for comment. But the military previously said the fatalities were members of the NPA. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA News