A church-backed ecumenical group on April 25 called for the resumption of peace talks and an independent investigation following the killing of 19 people in Negros Occidental, raising concerns over civilian protection in armed conflict.
In a statement, the Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform (PEPP) described the April 19 incident in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, as a “wake-up call” and urged both the government and communist rebels to pursue a negotiated peace.
“Peace cannot prosper if it is not rooted in truth and justice,” the group said.
Among those killed were individuals identified by the group as civilians and advocates, including journalist RJ Nichole Ledesma, student leaders, and peasant organizers. It said many had gone to farming communities “to learn and to serve.”
PEPP said a majority of those killed were “non-combatants,” disputing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ claim that all those slain were members of the New People’s Army (NPA). It noted that the Communist Party of the Philippines acknowledged that three of those killed were NPA members.
“The rest were, like RJ, Alyssa, Maureen, Wendell, and Lyle, either peasant advocates or ordinary villagers,” the statement said, adding that “even in death, they were red-tagged and vilified.”
The group said the killings raise concerns under international humanitarian law (IHL), which requires parties in armed conflict to protect civilians and avoid engaging in combat in their presence.
“One basic principle is to accord due respect and treatment for civilians,” the statement said.
It added that even combatants are entitled to protection under IHL if they are no longer able to fight. “If they have lost the capacity to fight, are wounded or surrendered, they should be treated as humanely as possible,” the group said.
PEPP urged the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) to resume formal negotiations and address the root causes of the armed conflict.
“Principled negotiations, not the surrender of one party to the other, is what makes for genuine peace,” the group said.
It also called on both parties to uphold the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CAHRIHL) and ensure accountability for violations.
“We lend our voices to the urgent call for an independent and impartial investigation into the deaths of the Negros 19,” the statement said.
PEPP said the incident underscores the continuing human cost of the armed conflict, warning that “the en masse killings in Toboso is a wake-up call for all of us” and that the violence “has taken out humanity in some of those involved in it.”
Peace negotiations between the government and communist rebels have remained stalled since 2017, when Rodrigo Duterte formally terminated talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, which represents the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army.
The collapse of the negotiations followed rising violence on the ground and disagreements over ceasefire conditions. Duterte ordered the cancellation of formal talks and related meetings, halting the work of both the government peace panel and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.
The breakdown effectively ended formal negotiations and left key political and security issues unresolved, contributing to the prolonged impasse in the peace process.
