Insurgency: Dwindling NPA Force

Recently the Army engaged the NPA in a series of clashes in Samar. Rather than being a show of force the Army says it only exposes their weakness. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1273757

The Philippine Army said the recent series of armed encounters between government forces and remnants of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) in Samar indicates a weakening of the rebels’ strength.

On Monday, the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division (8ID) said the NPA’s losses in recent years have forced its members to engage in short, sporadic clashes while struggling to maintain cohesion.

“Despite their attempts to evade government forces, our troops remain relentless in pursuing these armed groups. Their abandonment of their fallen comrades once again exposes their disregard for human life among their ranks,” according to the 8ID statement.

The military issued the statement following a brief firefight on April 24 in the hinterlands of Barangay Caulayanan, Motiong, Samar, against remnants of the Yakal platoon of the NPA’s sub-regional committee under the Eastern Visayas regional party committee.

After the encounter, government troops recovered two bodies of unidentified rebels abandoned by their comrades, along with an M14 rifle and a .45-caliber pistol.

The 8ID emphasized that the latest encounter is another significant setback to the already weakened communist terrorist group (CTG) operating in Eastern Visayas.

“The neutralization of these armed individuals and the recovery of their firearms further degrade the CTG’s operational capability in Samar. This reflects the sustained pressure our troops on the ground are applying," it said.

Focused military operations continue in the area to track down the fleeing NPA members and prevent further threats to the peace and security of the communities.

The clash occurred a week after a 17-year-old rebel was killed and several firearms were recovered following a series of armed encounters with NPA members in the hinterlands of Barangay Salvacion in Jiabong, Samar.

Also on the same day, government troops uncovered a cache of firearms in Barangay San Isidro, Sta. Rita. The recovered weapons included two .357-caliber pistols, three .38-caliber revolvers, and two .22-caliber firearms.

On April 16, government troops clashed with NPA remnants in the periphery of Silvino Lobos, Northern Samar.

The military reiterated the government’s resolve to protect its citizens and uphold national security, warning that continued armed resistance would only lead to further loss of life and hardship for communist members and their families.

According to the Army the rebels are only able "to engage in short, sporadic clashes while struggling to maintain cohesion."  Likewise the NTF-ELCAC says the April  19th encounter which killed 19 NPA rebels reveals that they are a dwindling force because they have recruited minors and foreigners. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1273764

A ranking official of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Monday said recent incidents in Negros Occidental and Samar showcased a troubling shift in the recruitment practices of the New People’s Army (NPA), marked by the increasing involvement of foreign nationals and minors in active combat.

NTF-ELCAC executive director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr., in a statement, said this development raised serious concerns about the trajectory of the armed movement.

He also cited the April 19 armed encounter in Toboso, Negros Occidental where two American nationals —Lyle Prijoles and Kai Dana-Rene Sorem— were among the 19 NPA combatants killed.

Their deaths highlight how individuals from outside the country are now being drawn into local armed hostilities, he added.

"Also among those killed in the same encounter- as identified in the PNP (Philippine National Police) investigation and validated by their claimant-relatives -- were two minors, Jolinda Jimena (16) and Dexter Patoja (17). Their presence in a combat environment highlights the grave risks faced by young individuals who become involved in armed conflict," Torres said.

In a separate incident in Samar on April 17, another minor identified as alias “John Paul” was killed during an armed encounter as reported by the 8th Infantry Division.

This brings to three the number of minors killed in combat within the same period. Taken together, these cases present a pattern that cannot be dismissed.

The involvement of foreign nationals alongside minors points to a widening recruitment scope that extends beyond traditional local bases and into more vulnerable sectors.

"The recruitment and use of minors in armed conflict constitute serious violations of International Humanitarian Law, as well as Republic Act No. 11188 (Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict Act), Republic Act No. 7610, and the Philippines’ obligations under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict," Torres said.

He said those responsible, particularly elements of the Communist Party of the Philippines –New People's Army–National Democratic Front, must be made to account for these violations of both domestic and international law.

He said these laws exist to ensure that children are protected from exploitation and exposure to violence.

Torres said the presence of foreign nationals in these encounters further indicates that recruitment efforts have expanded beyond Philippine borders, exposing individuals from the diaspora to the dangers of armed confrontation on the ground.

These developments suggest increasing pressure on the movement to sustain its ranks, reflected in a shift toward drawing from sectors that are either geographically distant or inherently vulnerable, he added.

Torres said this situation calls for heightened awareness and vigilance among families, communities, school administrations and organizations —both in the Philippines and abroad— to ensure that individuals, particularly the youth, are not placed in circumstances that endanger their lives.

"A movement that draws in children and foreign nationals into armed conflict is not demonstrating strength—it is revealing a critical strain that comes at the cost of human lives," he said.

If the NPA is recruiting foreigners that would hardly mean they are dwindling. That means they are thriving and their cause is seen as just by outsiders.  The NTF-ELCAC calls this development troubling. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2219263/ntf-elcac-flags-widening-npa-recruitment-after-negros-clash

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) has raised concern over what it described as a “troubling shift” in the recruitment practices of the New People’s Army (NPA), citing the alleged involvement of foreign nationals and minors in recent armed encounters in Negros Occidental and Samar.

In a statement on Monday, NTF-Elcac executive director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. said the April 19 encounter in Toboso, Negros Occidental, where 19 alleged NPA members were killed, reportedly included two American nationals identified as Lyle Prijoles and Kai Dana-Rene Sorem, based on police reports.

“Their deaths underscore how individuals from outside the country are now being drawn into local armed hostilities,” Torres said.

He also said two minors—Jolinda Jimena, 16, and Dexter Patoja, 17—were among those killed in Toboso, based on Philippine National Police findings and confirmation from their relatives.

“Their presence in a combat environment highlights the grave risks faced by young individuals who become involved in armed conflict,” Torres said.

In a separate incident in Samar on April 17, another minor identified as alias “John Paul” was killed in an armed encounter, according to the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division.

This brought to three the number of minors reported killed in combat in April, he said.

“Taken together, these cases present a pattern that cannot be dismissed,” Torres said, adding that the involvement of foreign nationals and minors suggests a widening recruitment reach into more vulnerable sectors.

He said the recruitment and use of minors in armed conflict violate international humanitarian law, as well as Republic Act No. 11188 (Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict Act), Republic Act No. 7610, and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict.

“Those responsible, particularly elements of the CPP–NPA–NDF, must be held accountable for these transgressions of both domestic and international law,” he said.

Torres also urged families, schools, and communities to remain vigilant against recruitment efforts targeting the youth.

“A movement that draws in children and foreign nationals into armed conflict is not demonstrating strength—it is revealing a critical strain that comes at the cost of human lives,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in the Negros Island Region (NIR) has begun its investigation into the Toboso encounter.

CHR-NIR chief Vincent Parra said the team visited the encounter site in Barangay Salamanca on Monday and conducted interviews.

They are also set to interview the parents of the two minors reported killed, Parra added.

The CHR has begun investigating the encounter due to claims that many of the dead are civilians. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2218078/independent-probe-sought-into-deadly-negros-encounter

Several groups on Friday called for an independent investigation into the anti-insurgency operation in Toboso, Negros Occidental, that left 19 people dead, including a University of the Philippines (UP) student, a journalist and peasant advocates.

On the sidelines of a protest outside Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Human rights group Karapatan condemned the incident, describing it as as a “massacre” and calling out the military for using “excessive force” in their operations.

“We want to know the truth, what really happened that day. We want a truly independent investigation into what happened because we do not believe those 19 individuals were just killed like chickens,” said Cristina Palabay, Karapatan secretary general.

Earlier this week, the 303rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army said a wanted rebel leader and at least 18 alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed by troops of the 79th Infantry Battalion in a series of encounters in Toboso on Sunday.

However, the UP Diliman University Student Council identified one of the fatalities as Alyssa Alano, its education and research councilor. The Altermidya Network also named RJ Ledesma, a coordinator for its Negros Island journalists’ group, among those killed.

Peasant organizations Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and Tanggol Magsasaka likewise identified two others as advocates Maureen Keil Santuyo and Errol Wendel.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines maintained that the operation was a “legitimate military operation,” questioning critics over the presence of alleged civilians at the encounter site.

In response, Palabay said civilians and students have legitimate reasons to be in farming communities.

“Why wouldn’t students be there? Those are plantations. There were farmers there,” Palabay asked, noting that Alano was reportedly there for community immersion work.

The NPA also claimed that while some of those killed were rebels, others were civilians and human rights advocates.

Karapatan described the incident as a “massacre,” saying the recurring narrative of armed encounters is being used to justify killings.

“Whether they are combatants or civilians, they should be accorded rights under international humanitarian law. We are a party to the Geneva Conventions,” Palabay said. “It’s repetitive—they justify killings by calling them encounters.”

Field work

The Inquirer sought comment from Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala but he has yet to respond.

The Human Rights Advocates Negros (HRAN) also urged the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to conduct an immediate, transparent and impartial investigation into the incident, particularly the killing of Ledesma.

Fr. Melvin Fajardo of HRAN said Ledesma, a writer and editor of Paghimutad-Negros Island Alternative Media, was a noncombatant conducting field work on renewable energy impacts when he was killed.

“No amount of black propaganda can obscure the truth,” Fajardo said, calling for accountability and protection of civilians in militarized areas.

HRAN and allied groups also urged journalists, academic institutions and media organizations to defend press freedom and ensure safer conditions for field reporting.

Peasant and youth groups echoed the call for an independent probe, denouncing killings, militarization of communities, red-tagging and alleged rights violations.

The Committee on the Protection of Academic Freedom and Human Rights (CPAFHR) of UP Diliman condemned the killing of Alano, a political science student of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy.

‘Not enemies’

It called for a “transparent and impartial investigation,” saying the military’s account labeling the victims as NPA combatants must be independently verified.

“Our youth and activists are not the enemies of the people,” it said, describing Alano as a student leader engaged in advocacy for marginalized farming communities.

It demanded that human rights organizations and response teams be given access to information and resources in order to launch their own investigations.

The AFP however, reiterated that the Toboso operation was a lawful, intelligence-driven military engagement conducted in accordance with rules of engagement and international humanitarian law, stressing that civilian safety was a priority.

It also urged the public to avoid misinformation and support fact-based discussions.

It is claimed that some of the dead were actually human rights workers who were immersed with the farmers. 

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/721223/negros-19-fil-am-activist-kai-sorem-once-immersed-with-cebu-farmers

Before she became one of the ‘Negros 19’ — those who were killed in a military clash in Negros Occidental on April 19, 2026 — Fil-Am activist Kai Sorem, 26, spent time in Cebu’s rural communities, an experience peers say shaped her commitment to grassroots work.

Sorem was in Negros in April 2026 for community immersion, when she was killed in a recent military operations in Toboso town.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said troops encountered alleged members of a communist group. However, several organizations disputed this account. They said those killed were civilians engaged in advocacy and community work.

Among the dead were community journalist RJ Ledesma and student leader Alyssa Alano. Groups described both as individuals who “served marginalized sectors” through immersion and advocacy.

Grounding her advocacy in Cebu

Sorem’s path included time in Cebu, particularly in rural areas where she lived with farmers and volunteers during immersion programs.

A fellow volunteer, Ellef Delfino, recalled meeting Sorem during a weeklong stay in Aloguinsan, Cebu.

“Sa usa ka simana nato nga panag-uban sa BMI [basic masses integration] sa Aloguinsan niaging tuig, nakita nako imong kadasig sa pakigbisog,” she wrote.

(“During our week together in BMI in Aloguinsan last year, I saw your passion for the struggle.”)

BMI is a form of community immersion. Volunteers live with local residents — often in rural or marginalized areas — to better understand their conditions and struggles.

Delfino said Sorem had a clear reason for coming to the Philippines.

“I still remember when you said that you want to come here […] because you want to know the struggles of the Filipinos, hilabi na sa peasants nga sobra nga nakasinati sa pagpanglupig,” she said.

(“[…] especially peasants who have long experienced oppression.”)

From diaspora roots to community work

Sorem grew up in Steilacoom, Washington. Peers described her as compassionate and curious. She studied music education at Central Washington University and later became active in Filipino youth organizing in the United States.

She helped establish Anakbayan South Seattle and served as its founding Solidarity Officer. There, she worked with Filipino migrant communities and youth.

Her work went beyond organizing abroad.

“She wanted to integrate with the Filipino masses,” Delfino said. She noted that Sorem chose to immerse herself in communities despite not growing up in the Philippines.

Music and connection

Sorem also used music to connect with communities. She performed songs that reflected social issues and aspirations for change.

In Cebu, she joined daily activities with residents — from farm work to informal learning sessions. These experiences deepened her understanding of local conditions.

“I still remember nga nangayo ko nimog sigarilyo […] JK and I were teaching them Bisaya while taking off the corn husks,” Delfino added.

(“I still remember when I asked you for a cigarette […] JK and I were teaching them Bisaya while taking off the corn husks.”)

Return — and death in Negros clash

In 2026, Sorem returned to the Philippines to deepen her engagement. She studied local languages and continued immersion work in rural communities.

She was in Negros Occidental when the April operations left 19 people dead.

Human rights groups and organizations linked to the victims have called for an independent investigation. They continue to dispute the military’s version of events and assert that those killed were unarmed civilians.

In Cebu, those who met Sorem remember how she lived — among communities, listening and learning.

“Dili tika makalimtan, bai Kai,” Delfino wrote.

(I will never forget you, Kai.)

The AFP says Kai Sorem and all the others were gun-toting rebels. They are ready for an investigation.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1273762

The Philippine Army (PA) said it is more than willing to face an investigation by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) into the April 19 clash against the New People's Army (NPA) in Toboso, Negros Occidental.

"We are open to investigation, and the evidence will speak for us," PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said in a message to reporters Sunday night.

He also emphasized that those who died in the encounter are "not just mere civilians but armed members of the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines)/NPA", contrary to the claim of leftist groups.

Dema-ala added that the clash was a legitimate armed encounter against members of the NPA and carried out in accordance with established rules of engagement and with due regard for civilian safety.

"At the same time, we call for a fair, thorough, and impartial investigation into the reported deaths of civilians in Negros Occidental, including those allegedly involving the group of the late Roger Fabillar, also known as 'Jhong,' to ensure that all facts are established and accountability is upheld," he said.

The CHR earlier expressed grave concern over the encounter, where 19 individuals were killed, including student leader Alyssa Alano and community journalist RJ Nichole Ledesma.

The agency, through its office in the Negros Island Region, has initiated an independent investigation.

Information from local human rights advocates prompted coordination with civil society organizations, local authorities, and security forces, including working with the families for the retrieval of the remains in Toboso and Escalante towns.

Surely the truth will come out, whatever it is.