The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Friday, April 24, maintained that the slain University of the Philippines (UP) student leader in a recent encounter in Negros Occidental was not an innocent civilian, saying she was allegedly found armed and in combat gear during the clash with the New People’s Army (NPA).

General Romeo Brawner Jr., AFP chief, dismissed criticisms on the operation of the Philippine Army (PA) in Toboso town on April 19 where 19 suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels died, including Alyssa Alano, an education and research councilor of the UP Diliman University Student Council.

“Are they saying she was an innocent student? No. If she is innocent and has no intention of joining the armed group, why was she found wearing a combat rig with a magazine pouch? She was armed. She was fighting,” Brawner said.

The clash broke out in the hinterlands of Barangay Salamanca between the 79th Infantry Battalion and suspected remnants of the Northern Negros Front, Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros (NNF, KR-N).

Military reports indicated the encounter lasted for hours before the rebels retreated. Troops recovered the remains of the fatalities and high-powered firearms, as well as subversive documents following the skirmish. At least five suspected rebels were also arrested during follow-up operations by the police.

The AFP chief contrasted Alano's case with another incident involving Chantal Anicoche, a Filipino-American activist who was found by Army troops in an encounter site in Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro on January 8.

Brawner recalled that Anicoche did not engage the troops and was taken into custody alive before being turned over to her family.

“Unlike in the case of Chantal in Mindoro, when she was found by troops, she was not resisting, her firearm was far from her. So what did we do? We took her into our custody. We gave her proper medical attention. We even called her parents, and she was picked up by her parents and brought back to the United States,” Brawner said.

The AFP leadership maintained that its forces respect human rights and only respond with force when fired upon.

“Our soldiers are not human rights violators. In fact, we respect human rights. But once you start fighting and firing against government forces, you are a combatant and you can become a casualty,” Brawner said.

However, human rights advocates maintained that Alano was a victim of a “state-sponsored” killing. At UP Diliman, students and alumni held a candlelight vigil on Thursday, April 23, to pay tribute to Alano. Among the attendees was actress Tuesday Vargas, an alumni of UP, who called for accountability and justice following reports of Alano's killing. 

Candles were lit and messages of remembrance were offered as the attendees gathered to honor Alano, who they described as an advocate of peasant issues and academic engagement with communities affected by militarization. They said Alano was in the area to live among and study the situation of farmers facing land grabbing and military presence.

“Napakabigat ng aking puso pero ako ay nagtungo sa aking paaralan upang maki-isa. Mataas na pagpugay kay Alyssa. Salamat sa iyong paninilbihan sa lahat ng mga sektor partikular na ang mga magsasaka sa kanayunan (My heart feels very heavy but I went to my school to join in solidarity. I offer my highest tribute to Alyssa. Thank you for your service to all sectors, especially to the farmers in the countryside),” Vargas said.

"Maraming salamat sa iyong makabuluhang buhay. Kami po ay nakikiramay sa kanyang mga ka anak at sa lahat ng mga nasawi sa Negros. Hustisya para kay Alyssa! (Thank you very much for your meaningful life. We extend our condolences to her family and to all those who died in Negros. Justice for Alyssa!)," she added.