Four people, including two for-hire drivers, were reportedly abducted by armed men along the Aranda-La Castellana road in Hinigaran, Negros on April 19, 2023. One of their companions, National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Negros Consultant Rogelio Posadas, was declared dead in an alleged encounter in Barangay Santol, Binalbagan in the early morning of April 20.

The families of the three enforced disappeared persons have already filed a report with the police as they have not received any communication or information about their whereabouts since then.

21-year-old Renren delos Santos and 18-year-old Renald Mialen were reportedly for-hire drivers in the community and believed to have transported Posadas and his companion 28-year old Lyngrace Martullinas when they were waylaid and abducted.

During a press conference on April 22, Renren delos Santos’ father alleged that witnesses had observed a white van obstructing two motorcycles, after which masked gunmen forced the riders and their companions to get into the van.

Meanwhile, Ka Dionesio Magbuelas, Spokesperson of Mt. Cansermon Command – New People’s Army (MCC-NPA) denied the AFP’s claims two encounters took place in Sitio Marikudo, Brgy. Camang-camang and Sitio Cabite, Brgy. Binalbagan, Negros Occidental on April 20, 2023. The AFP claimed one insurgent named Rogelio Posadas, an NDF Peace Consultant, was killed and another one was injured.

The South Negros Command strongly denounced the military’s claim and asserted that Posadas was, in fact, unlawfully apprehended, subjected to torture, and killed, despite being defenseless.

The command added this violates the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) and the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) agreements signed by both the GRP and the NDF.

Human Rights Advocates Negros (HRAN) joined the families in calling for the Philippine government and state security forces to acknowledge when they are in the custody of the missing persons and to conduct an immediate investigation into the incident. HRAN also called on the Commission on Human Rights Bacolod sub-regional office to take cognizance of the case and conduct its investigations.