BAYAN Oregon
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All names of the Toboso 19 Massacre are now known.
Armed revolutionaries of the New People's Army:
Roger Fabillar (Ka Tapang)
Sonny Boy Caramihan
Rene Villarin Sr.
Pedro Bonghanoy
Amel Javoc
Joros Caramihan y Ramos
Maria Clarita Branzuel Blanco
Geneveive Balora (Ka Raia)
Labskie Purisimia Enustacion
Joel Gimang
Civilian casualties
Lyle Prijoles
Kai Sorem
Roel Sabillo
RJ Nichole Ledesma
Alyssa Alano
Maureen Keli Santuyo
Errol Wendel
with two additional minors killed, names withheld.
The Toboso 19 massacre was not a firefight. It was the AFP shooting bullets from helicopters, nonstop, indiscriminate strifing on rural communities over the course of 12 hours. There was no way for them to tell who was a combatant and who was a civilian. While the GRP holds lavish ceremonies to celebrate these killings, congratulating the officers for orchestrating this massacre, the people know this is clear violation of International Humanitarian Law.
Indiscriminate strifing is an intentional tactic to instill fear among the mass movement, and to dissuade people from organizing against the very system that exploits and oppresses them. But the very fascist attacks the Philippine state uses to squash the people's resistance has only led more and more Filipinos and allies to rise up and fight back.
Thank you to the 150+ who came to the vigil, and shared stories of how Lyle and Kai dedicated their lives to serving the people until their last day on earth. We will not let their names be smeared by the Philippine state, nor will we allow their deaths to be in vain.
Tomorrow, April 28 marks the 12th anniversary of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, a treaty established by Obama that further allows the US to take control of Philippine land, resources and people for building their imperialist war machine. As we are in the midst of the annual joint US-PH Balikatan Exercises, BAYAN OR calls on all Filipinos and solidarity allies to say US out of the Philippines! Atin ang Pinas! The Philippines has and always will belong to the Filipino people.
Justice for Lyle! Justice for Kai! Justice for the Negros 19! Defend Negros! U.S. out of the Philippines now!
04/27/2026
On April 26, BAYAN Oregon & ICHRP Oregon along with 150+ community members gathered at Peninsula Park for a vigil to honor the lives of 19 Filipinos slaughtered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines over the course of two days between April 19-20 in Negros Occidental. Among them were two Filipino-Americans, Lyle Prijoles & Kai Sorem. Speakers honored them with personal sharings.
“Lyle and Kai were in Negros to really understand the situation of farmers," said Ken of BAYAN Oregon. "They were asking: What are the impacts of militarism on farmers? What does it mean to have your lands be taken from you? And what does it mean to defend them? And so they were there immersing in the everyday struggles of everyday people like you and me.”
Speakers encouraged the community to continue to stand with the millions of poor farmers in the Philippines and reject the false narratives calling the slain "communist-terrorists." These lies are spread by the Philippine and U.S. government to cover up the truth that the majority of those slaughtered were civilians.
"The US and Philippine government are quick to ask, 'why were there two Americans in the Philippines getting swept up in this?’" shared Copeland from ICHRP. "But the real question should be why is the Philippine military attacking poor farming communities like the ones Lyle and Kai were integrating in."
The US has committed to $2.5 billion in military financing to the Philippines over the next 5 years, and on the same day of the massacre began the 2026 Balikatan Exercises which involves over 17,000 troops from the US, Philippines, and elsewhere. Oregonians must push local legislators to use their platform to put pressure on the federal government and redirect U.S. military aid away from human rights violations in the Philippines.
WE DEMAND:
🔻An immediate & independent investigation into the massacre
🔻Families, lawyers and human rights advocates given full access to their loved ones' remains without threat, interrogation, harm or intimidation
🔻An end to US funding & support for the brutal, fascist Marcos Jr administration
Justice for Lyle Prijoles!
Justice for Kai Sorem!
Justice for the Negros 19!
Defend Negros!
04/25/2026
‼️TOMORROW (4/26) at 6pm at Peninsula Park ‼️
Join BAYAN Oregon and ICHRP Portland for a community vigil to call for justice for Lyle Prijoles, Kai Sorem, and the Toboso 19! ✊🏽❤️🔥
On April 19th, the Toboso 19 were massacred through indiscriminate firing and strafing in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, Negros Occidental by the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The AFP also forcibly displaced over 600 residents of Toboso. Let’s turn our grief and anger into action to hold the Philippine State accountable for their crimes against the people and their violations of International Humanitarian Law!
JUSTICE FOR LYLE PRIJOLES!
JUSTICE FOR KAI SOREM!
JUSTICE FOR THE TOBOSO 19!
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