APRIL 26, 2026 — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is standing firm: the UP student activist killed in the April 19 firefight in Negros Occidental was no innocent bystander. AFP Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. declared that Alyssa Alano, a University of the Philippines Diliman student leader, was found armed and wearing combat gear when troops clashed with suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Toboso town.

“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, brushing aside criticisms of the Army’s operation.

The clash erupted in the hinterlands of Barangay Salamanca, where soldiers of the 79th Infantry Battalion engaged remnants of the Northern Negros Front. The firefight dragged on for hours, leaving 19 suspected rebels dead, including Alano. Troops recovered high-powered firearms, subversive documents, and later arrested five suspected rebels in follow-up operations.

Brawner pointed to another case earlier this year involving Filipino-American activist Chantal Anicoche in Mindoro. Unlike Alano, Anicoche was found alive, unarmed, and was eventually turned over to her parents. 

“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 insists its forces respect human rights and only respond 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 added.

But the narrative doesn’t end there. Human rights groups and student organizations are pushing back, saying Alano was a victim of state violence. At UP Diliman, students and alumni held a candlelight vigil on April 23 to honor her life and advocacy. 

Actress Tuesday Vargas, a UP alumna, joined the tribute: “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 is heavy but I went to my school to stand in solidarity. A high salute to Alyssa. Thank you for your service to all sectors, especially the farmers in the countryside.)

She added, “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 for your meaningful life. We condole with her family and all those who died in Negros. Justice for Alyssa!)

For supporters, Alano was not a rebel but a student activist immersed in communities to study the plight of farmers facing land grabbing and militarization. For the AFP, she was a combatant who chose to fight.

This clash of narratives is now spilling into the public sphere. Was Alano a casualty of war or a casualty of activism? The answer depends on which side of the line you stand. What’s clear is that her death has reignited debates on insurgency, militarization, and the risks faced by young activists who step into conflict zones.

In our country where activism and rebellion are often blurred, how do we decide whose truth shapes the future of our democracy?

(Image: UP Diliman University Student Council | Facebook)