Justice for Toboso 19: A media conference on the state of impunity, state terrorism, and fascism under the US-Marcos rule in the Philippines. 

A press release

On August 29, 2026, the Asia Pacific Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, along with other organizations including Aotearoa Philippine Solidarity (APS), Japan Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (JCHRP), Australia Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ACHRP), Philippine Human Rights Network in South Korea/ ICHRP-Korea and Hong Kong Campaign for Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines (HKCAHRPP) conducted a press conference about Justice for Toboso 19: A media conference on the state of impunity, state terrorism, and fascism under the US-Marcos rule in the Philippines. 

The National Fact-finding and Solidarity Mission took place on May 13-14, 2026, followed on August 17-19, 2026 in Toboso, Negros, and in Bacolod City respectively. Led by KARAPATAN and Defend Negros, participated by members of the Asia Pacific Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (APCHRP) the fact-finding missions investigated the war crimes committed by the Marcos Regime. 

The press conference is welcomed by Sister Patricia Fox, APCHRP spokesperson and facilitated by Sheryl Cadman of APS. It featured firsthand accounts and personal encounters with victims, from non-Filipinos in the Asia-Pacific region. Supporting the ongoing campaign calling for justice for Negros 19 and to hold the military and the Marcos Jr. regime accountable for violating International Humanitarian Law (IHL).

One notable narrative from Ka Ayik Cassillao of Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) is that, after five months, there is still no justice, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines has not turned over the body of Errol Chen.  “The massacre on April 19 is the second-highest death toll of human rights defenders and media practitioners since the 2009 Maguindanao massacre. In terms of the number of victims, it occurred in one incident, one time, one place. Aside from the Escalante Massacre in Negros in 1985, this is so far the gravest in recent years,” shared by Ka Ayik, Chairperson of UMA

He added “Negros had a long history of massacre killing peasants whose only desire is to have a piece of land. Militarization in Negros has been a top priority to protect or safeguard the business interests of local, domestic, and foreign corporations, the hacienderos that have been exploiting the ordinary people, land and resources of the island since time immemorial.” He further pointed out the desecration of the remains. “There is purposeful, or mistake of releasing the wrong cadaver to the wrong families. Until now, it has been almost 5 months. The body, the real body of Errol Wendell, is still missing.”

Rev Jin Wo from the Philippine Network for Human Rights in South Korea or ICHRP-Korea also expressed its deep support to call for justice. “When the news about the massacre in Toboso came to us in South Korea we were very shocked. Various civic and religious groups immediately issued a statement demanding to uncover the truth and punish those responsible. Unfortunately, those responsible are distorting the truth with lies. We will continue to stand with victims until justice is served and truth prevails.” 

The JCHRP also issued a statement and mobilised the Japanese people for calling to end militarization. “We organized. We took to the streets to oppose joint military exercises in the Philippines, and say no to the deployment of Japan’s self-defense forces to the Philippines. “

“We held protests against the military relations between Japan, the United States, and the Marcos administrations. We organized educational events. public assemblies and a photo exhibition to bring attention to militarization, forced displacement, and human rights violations, and the struggles of the Filipino people. Through the solidarity of people in Japan, we were able to raise funds to support a fact-finding team to travel to Negros to document what happened and to support efforts to recover the remains of the victims,” he added.

Kelvin of the Hong Kong Campaign for the Advancement of Human Rights in the Philippines also condemned the massacre and conducted educational discussions against militarization. He met Errol Wendell when he visited a peasant community in the Philippines in 2025. He witnessed his diligence and passion for peasant organizing. “We shall never forget that it is the brutal Marcos government that martyred him; it is the ignoble alliance of landlords and bureaucrats that killed him. An evil structure of imperialists, landlords, and corrupt bureaucrats killed him and the 19 victims in Toboso. They are all devouring the lives of hundreds more people across the Philippines,”  Kelvin ended. ###