“We give the highest honor to our colleague RJ, who until his last breath served marginalized communities by immersing and reporting on their stories.”
CAGAYAN DE ORO — A network of alternative media outfits mourns the killing of community journalist RJ Nichole Ledesma.
Ledesma, writer and editor of Paghimutad-Negros Island and regional coordinator of People’s Alternative Media Network (Altermidya), was one of the 19 reported fatalities in what the military claimed to be an encounter between the government troops and the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, Negros Occidental, on Sunday, April 19, displacing over 600 residents.
The Philippine Army reported that the fatalities were alleged members of the NPA—reportedly the highest NPA deaths in an encounter since the 1990s.
However, according to information received by AlterMidya from Human Rights Advocates Negros (HRAN), Ledesma was in another sitio doing field work on the effects of development projects on peasant communities.
“According to [HRAN], he was instead attacked in a separate peasant community in Sitio Plari[ng]ding during an ensuing military pursuit operation,” AlterMidya said in a statement, demanding justice for Ledesma.
Prior to leading Paghimutad, Ledesma served as editor-in-chief of Spectrum, the student publication of the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City, where he earned his degree in psychology.
He also served as chairperson of the League of Filipino Students – Bacolod during his college days and became the seventh nominee of the Kabataan Party-list in the 2022 elections.
Ledesma also became part of HAKSON Incorporated, an environment network that has been opposing the palm oil expansion in Candoni, Negros Occidental.
Ledesma’s latest report was posted on March 7, 2026, documenting the act of resistance of fisherfolk in Purok Bayanihan, Barangay Banago, Bacolod City, against reclamation activities.
The University of the Philippines Institute of Creative Writing also mourns the passing of Ledesma, who was also a poet and fellow during the 9th Amelia Bonifacio Writers Workshop, remembering his existence serving the people.
In a statement, Cristina Palabay, secretary general of human rights alliance Karapatan, said the number of fatalities, whether they were combatants or civilians, raises questions on the conduct of military operations if it is in compliance with the International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
“The possibility that the military committed a massacre, including in the context of an armed confrontation, should be investigated,” she said.
Jake Dela Cruz confirmed to reporters that his 19-year-old brother-in-law, Roel Sabillo, was one of the fatalities. However, he also asserted that Sabillo was not a member of the NPA. The victim, he said, was a farmer and working as a collector for his uncle.
Karapatan called for an independent investigation into the incident.
“We give the highest honor to our colleague RJ, who until his last breath served marginalized communities by immersing and reporting on their stories,” Altermidya said. (RVO)
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