BACOLOD, Philippines — Human rights group Karapatan accused the government’s anti-insurgency task force and the Philippine military of trying to obscure the causes of unrest in Negros Island, saying recent statements from state officials amounted to “gaslighting” and attacks on independent fact-finding efforts.

Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay said the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict was promoting what she called a “stupendous lie” by portraying Negros as a model of peace and development despite poverty, landlessness, militarization and continuing rights violations.

“The Marcos Jr. administration and NTF-ELCAC can spend billions manufacturing propaganda and congratulating themselves, but their classic gaslighting can never erase the crisis in Negros,” Karapatan said.

The human rights group said the task force reduces the armed conflict to communist recruitment while ignoring the conditions that drive unrest in the sugar-producing island, where generations of peasants and sugar workers have faced landlessness and low wages.

Photo Source: Philippine Information Agency

NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Ernesto Torres Jr. rejected Karapatan’s claims, accusing the group of spreading propaganda and evading questions about what the task force called a “recruitment pipeline” to armed struggle.

Karapatan also criticized the Armed Forces of the Philippines for attempting to discredit the National Fact Finding and Solidarity Mission in Toboso, Negros Occidental. The mission, joined by more than 100 delegates, documented testimonies from residents after the April 19th incident that left 10 New People’s Army members and nine civilians dead, which included minors, a community journalist, youth leaders, and human rights advocates.

“FAQCHECK” Press Conference of Philippine military and NTF-ELCAC on the Toboso 19 incident
Photo source: NTF-ELCAC/Facebook

Karapatan Deputy Secretary General Maria Sol Taule said residents reported indiscriminate firing, forced evacuations, drone surveillance, harassment and livelihood restrictions before and after the operation.

Taule added that the AFP’s explanations “raise more questions” and called for an independent investigation into possible violations of international humanitarian law.

The AFP has maintained that its operations solely targeted armed communist rebels.