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2 US citizens among those killed in Philippine military clash with Maoist rebels
Lyle Prijoles from California and Kai Sorem from Washington were among those killed in what the Philippine Army claimed was a gun battle against New People’s Army that lasted for 12 hours
- PUBLISHED: Mon 27 Apr 2026, 2:45 PM UPDATED: Mon 27 Apr 2026, 7:14 PM
Two US citizens of Filipino descent were among the 19 casualties in the recent clash between the military and Maoist guerillas in central Philippines. Lyle Prijoles of San Franciso, California and Kai Sorem of Seattle, Washington were identified as among those killed in what the Philippine Army claimed was a series of skirmishes between its soldiers and the rebel New People’s Army (NPA) that lasted for over12 hours.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said all those killed were NPA combatants who shot it out with the raiding government troopers.
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Local journalists were quick to travel to the town of Toboso, Negros Occidental province that day upon hearing of the clash. They said they were prevented from entering the village of Salamanca. When 14 remains were taken to a funeral service establishment in the neighboring town of Escalante, they were totally wrapped in plastic bags, preventing the reporters from confirming that foreigners were among those killed.
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The journalists persisted and waited for a chance to interview 303rd Infantry Brigade commander B/Gen. Ted Dumosmog. They sought confirmation about “Whites” as among the casualties. It turned out that the journalists’ information was correct. They referred to Prijoles (male, 40) and Sorem (female, 26), both of Filipino ancestry and were active in Filipino-American organizations in their respective hometowns. They arrived in the Philippines separately last March to immerse with farming communities.
‘Leaving no one alive’
Human rights organizations in the Philippines said Prijoles and Sorem were victims of the ‘take no prisoner’ military mindset apparent in the April 19 massacre. Aside from the two Americans, other civilians were also killed in what they describe as “sustained but indiscriminate strafing and shooting” that also killed a student leader, a journalist, two farmers’ rights advocates and two local farmers.
No word from US Embassy
Raising more suspicions were reports that the civilians were in a separate community called Plarinding located at least three kilometers away from the reported clash site called Sinugmawan.
The sustained strafing drove them to flee to different directions and falling victim to hails of gunfire. In subsequent claims, the military released photos of their remains wearing combat vests, with rifles near their lifeless bodies to bolster the yarn that they were combatants.
The Philippine Army said one of its soldiers suffered wounds on both of his arms.
Human rights groups, however, dispute the official storyline. They said the military is again attempting another whitewash of a huge human rights issue. They pointed out the victims could not have been NPA fighters as they very recently arrived in the communities and they could not have tied down a battalion of trained soldiers to a 12-hour gunfight.
The NPA also said that their members involved in the skirmish were composed of a “very small team.”
The Philippine Commission on Human Rights expressed grave concern about reported violations of the rules of war, noting that in case of doubt, the victims must be presumed as civilians.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Manila is mum about the death of its two citizens. The US remains to be the primary source of Philippine arms imports.
Currently, more than 17,000 military personnel, including Japanese forces, are taking part in the 19-day live-fire exercises in northern Philippines facing Taiwan Strait; one weapon set to be used is US Typhon missile system.