A senior Philippine church official in Negros Occidental backed a fact-finding mission that disputed the military’s account of the April 19 killings in Toboso town.
“As Church, we continue to affirm every human life is sacred. Civilians must always be protected. Human dignity must never become collateral damage,” said Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos.
The prelate, who heads Caritas Philippines, also renewed calls for peace negotiations to address the roots of armed conflict in rural communities.
In a statement issued after the National Fact-Finding and Solidarity Mission, Alminaza backed findings from church workers, human rights advocates, journalists, lawmakers, and health workers who said witness testimonies identified at least six of the 19 people killed as civilians, contradicting military claims that all were combatants.
The mission also documented alleged abuses against residents, including harassment, militarization of civilian communities, and restrictions on farming activities.
Alminaza thanked the more than 100 delegates who joined the mission despite what organizers described as intimidation and heavy military presence in affected communities.
“Your courage to seek the truth amid fear and intimidation is a concrete witness that truth, justice and peace still matter,” the bishop said.
Organizers documented alleged violations against civilians during military operations, including the use of civilian homes as military encampments, harassment of residents, restrictions on farming activities, indiscriminate firing near homes, illegal detention, and the alleged use of a farmer as a human shield.
Alminaza said fear continued to silence many residents. “In such a climate, truth itself becomes vulnerable,” he said, referring to the military presence in the area.
The bishop said the investigation also exposed deeper social conditions surrounding the conflict, including land disputes, poverty, and neglect.
“We also heard the painful cry of communities burdened by longstanding land conflicts, poverty, and social neglect,” Alminaza said. “This reminds us that armed conflict cannot be solved by weapons alone,” he added.
He reiterated the Church’s call to protect civilians and uphold human dignity.
Alminaza also renewed calls for the resumption of peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.
“Lasting peace cannot be built only through military solutions,” he said, adding that peace must be “rooted in justice, dialogue, respect for human rights and addressing the root causes of conflict, especially landlessness, poverty, exclusion and historical injustices.”
Delegates also reported incidents of harassment during the investigation, including being followed by a motorcycle rider taking photographs of their convoy. Unidentified individuals also allegedly photographed participants during a courtesy call at the barangay hall in Salamanca village.
Residents likewise reported the presence of soldiers from the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion in the area days before the mission, according to organizers.
Meanwhile, Sadie Stone, an American pastor and member of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, was reportedly denied entry into the country after allegedly being blacklisted for participating in “political activities” in 2016. Stone was expected to join the mission.
The mission called for accountability from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, an end to militarization in Negros, and justice for the victims of the Toboso killings.
“Peace is not merely the absence of war,” Alminaza said. “True peace is the presence of justice, compassion, and human dignity,” he added.
