Clashes in the Philippines Involve Two Americans
On April 19, two Americans found themselves among a group of suspected communist guerrillas during violent confrontations with the military in the Philippines, according to local authorities.
This incident took place in Toboso, Negros Occidental, as announced by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on April 25. Reports indicate that these two individuals were part of 19 suspected members of the New People’s Army, all of whom were killed in the skirmishes.
NTF-ELCAC Undersecretary Ernest Torres Jr. named the Americans as Lyle Prijoles and Kai Dana Rene Solem.
Solem, a 26-year-old activist from Seattle, had established a Filipino youth and student organization. Torres mentioned that the identities of 17 other guerrilla suspects had also been confirmed, and the remains of all 19 individuals were returned to their families.
NTF-ELCAC cautioned Filipino Americans about potential “terror grooming” schemes orchestrated by left-wing activist groups, aimed at encouraging individuals to join or support rebel factions in the Philippines.
Torres described the situation as alarming, stressing that foreign nationals should not be placed in such perilous circumstances. He expressed concern that the deaths of two Americans in one encounter should lead to reflection about how involvement in certain activities could inadvertently expose individuals to dangerous environments. He extended his condolences to the families impacted by this tragedy.
Reportedly, the two Americans had arrived in the Philippines in March before making their way to Negros Occidental. Following the clashes, a rebel commander, who had a bounty of $16,600 on his head, was killed after local villagers allegedly tipped off the military about suspected rebels. The army managed to detain an unspecified number of guerrillas and seized 24 firearms in the process.
Historically, the U.S. designated the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army as a terrorist organization back in August 2002. This designation was reaffirmed in 2004. Additionally, the Philippines has also classified the New People’s Army as a terrorist group.
The U.S. State Department was contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of this report.
