A raid in the Philippines resulted in the deaths of 19 people, including two US citizens, prompting an investigation into the conduct of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Separately, the US has imposed sanctions on a Cambodian senator and others for alleged cryptocurrency romance scams.
US imposes sanctions on Cambodian senator and 28 others for alleged crypto-romance scams The number of people killed in the raid has sparked questions by the country's rights commission into the conduct of the Armed Forces of the Philippines .
-- PHOTO: AFP MANILA : Two US citizens were among 19 people killed in a raid on an alleged communist stronghold in the Philippines that has sparked a probe by the country's rights commission, a government task force said. More than 300 residents in the Toboso municipality of Negros island fled their homes on April 19 as gunfire rang out in the remote sugar cane-farming region, the municipal disaster management office told AFP last week.
The number of people killed in the firefight, in which only one soldier was wounded, sparked calls for an investigation. The two Americans, identified as Lyle Prijoles and Kai Dana-Rene Sorem, arrived in Negros Occidental province about a month before they were killed, the task force said in a statement late Saturday.
"The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict notes with serious concern the confirmation that a second American national was among those killed in the April 19, 2026 armed encounter," the statement said. "This brings to two the number of US citizens... who died in the same incident," it added, identifying all 19 killed as"combatant" members of the New People's Army , which has been fighting a long-running insurgency for nearly 60 years.
"The military operations carried out by the Philippine Army's 79th Infantry Battalion ... warrant an urgent investigation," Congresswoman Leila de Lima said Saturday. In a separate statement, local rights monitor Karapatan said the"sheer number of those killed triggers significant questions and conclusions on the conduct of the AFP operations".
The Philippine military, which handed out medals to a number of soldiers involved, said the raid was"a legitimate armed encounter, not a massacre", noting the seizure of 24 firearms. Addressing a probe launched by the country's Commission on Human Rights, Philippine Army spokesman Colonel Louie Dema-ala told reporters on Sunday the military was"open to investigation and the evidence will speak for us". The military told AFP last week it had been fighting"remnants" of the NPA near the Toboso municipality.
Dema-ala said the area was"one of the more active remnants of the front in the central Philippines". AirAsia posts videos of staff speaking Mandarin after clip of passenger scolding cabin crew draws attentionRare jade vine found in Philippines' Cagayan highlands, push for conservationVietnam-South Korean film on legendary warrior Tran Hung Dao unveiled in Seoul
Philippines US Citizens NPA Sanctions Crypto Scams
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
China holds live-fire drills near Luzon Island as US-Philippines exercises beginBEIJING, April 24 — China’s military said today it recently conducted military drills including live-fire exercises in the waters east of the Philippines’ Luzon Island,...
Read more »
Australia Refuses Repatriation of Citizens Linked to Islamic State from SyriaThe Australian government has stated it will not assist in repatriating citizens with ties to Islamic State militants currently in a Syrian camp, despite reports of families attempting to return home. Authorities emphasize that those returning will face legal consequences if crimes have been committed, prioritizing national security.
Read more »
Major Migrant Smuggling Ring Busted at Bukit Kayu Hitam ICQS, Senior Immigration Officer Among Those ArrestedA large-scale operation, Op Toyu, has led to the arrest of ten individuals, including a senior Immigration Department officer, for their involvement in a migrant smuggling ring operating at the Bukit Kayu Hitam ICQS Complex. The syndicate is believed to have caused RM4.1 million in revenue leakages.
Read more »
China pulling its citizens out of Iran point to more US-Iran conflict — Phar Kim BengAPRIL 26 — The latest advisory issued by the Chinese Embassy in Tehran, alongside its consulates across Iran, is far more than a routine warning.It is, in effect, a geopolitical...
Read more »
Anne De Mesa wins Philippines its second Miss Tourism Worldwide crown in MalaysiaKUALA LUMPUR: A police investigation has been opened into the fireworks incident during the 'Tangkap Azam Baki' rally outside at Sogo shopping mall which caused brief panic among protesters.
Read more »
Rare jade vine found in Philippines' Cagayan highlands, push for conservationKUALA LUMPUR: A police investigation has been opened into the fireworks incident during the 'Tangkap Azam Baki' rally outside at Sogo shopping mall which caused brief panic among protesters.
Read more »