Defend Negros

Justice for the Negros 19

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What happened May 19th

A massacre took place in Toboso, Negros Occidental on the eve of the US-PH Joint Balikatan war exercises when the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) conducted a 13-hour indiscriminate firing and strafing in a civilian population. A total of 19 people were killed, including, two minors, a journalist, university student leader, human rights advocates, and our dear friends Lyle Prijoles and Kai Sorem. In response, Filipino community members, allies, friends and family across the United States held vigils, and rallies to honor the Filipino-Americans killed in the military operations, and the others from the "Negros 19."

Press Release on the Autopsy Report
Negros 19 Half-Sheet
Statement on NTF-ELCAC

  • "My Husband died doing what he did best, being with the people and learning from them. I do not believe the AFP or police—how can I believe the very entities that murdered my husband? How can the AFP claim victory when 19 people were killed and no explanation was given to the families? There are clear violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.”

    Marienne Cuison, wife of Lyle Prijoles

  • "It is necessary to call for justice for Kai, for the 19 humans murdered in Negros, because thats what they all were: humans. Not ’corned beef,’ a horrible term now used by online trolls to dehumanize those killed by the state. They were people well-loved by the thousands.”

    PJ Sorem, Kai's sibling

  • "Lyle and I suffered state violence from the same Armed Forces of the Philippines. I was red-tagged, given death threats, harassed, tailed. The AFP is tarnishing the reputation of Lyle and the other civilians massacred through lies. I know this because they called me a New People’s Army rebel, too, before they shot me four times."

    Brandon Lee, Chairperson of the U.S. chapter of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP-US)

  • “The horrific facts revealed by the autopsy show the extent to which the Philippine government will cover up its war crimes. It only makes us more motivated to fight for justice. How dare they blame the victims themselves and the organizations defending them when it is the AFP that massacred them."

    Andan Bonifacio of BAYAN USA

For Media inquires Contact: Joell Manguerra,

info@bayanusa.org (503) 867-8380

Media Kit