Supplemental Info:
BACKGROUND
The security alert below has been issued due to ongoing counter-insurgency operations by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) against the New People’s Army (NPA).
The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), a Maoist group that has waged a rural guerrilla insurgency against the Philippine government since 1969, making it one of Asia’s longest-running communist rebellions. The U.S. and Philippine governments both designate the NPA as a foreign terrorist organization. While the Philippine military has reported major gains against the group in recent years and claims it is significantly weakened, the NPA still maintains pockets of activity in rural, mountainous areas.
What Triggered This Specific Alert
On April 19, 2026, in the coastal town of Toboso in Negros Occidental province (part of the Negros region highlighted in the alert), Philippine troops clashed with suspected NPA guerrillas. According to Philippine authorities, 19 suspected NPA fighters were killed. Two of the dead were U.S. citizens—Lyle Prijoles (from California) and Kai Dana-Rene Sorem (from Washington)—who had arrived in the Philippines only weeks earlier in late March. The government’s National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) described all 19 as combatant NPA members.
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Security Alert
US Embassy Manila
May 1, 2026
Location: Leyte, Mindoro, Negros, and Samar
Event: The U.S. Embassy in Manila alerts U.S. citizens of recent intensified operations by the Armed Forces of the Philippines against the New People’s Army (NPA).
U.S. citizens have been present during recent military actions against the NPA. An April 19, 2026, armed clash resulted in the deaths of two Americans. We advise Americans in the Philippines and around the world to abide by local laws and to avoid situations with elevated security risk.
The NPA is designated a foreign terrorist organization by the governments of the United States and the Philippines. Anyone in proximity of NPA elements is at grave risk of arrest, injury, or death. Foreign terrorist organizations actively recruit Americans to participate directly in terrorist activities and/or provide financial support.
Areas of Heightened Concern include rural, mountainous regions of Leyte, Mindoro, Negros, and Samar, all of which have seen recent fatal clashes between NPA and Philippine forces.
Actions to Take:
Do not affiliate with terrorist or insurgent groups. If you unwittingly become associated with a group you suspect is engaged in terrorism or armed opposition to the Philippine government, the embassy can help. Contact us immediately.
If you encounter armed individuals not affiliated with police or military, leave the area immediately.
Some nongovernmental organizations have affiliations with the NPA and other violent groups. Americans seeking to engage in humanitarian activities should work with groups registered with the Philippines National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency and obtain the correct visa. Volunteer groups should also coordinate with local governments, which can provide reliable security information and local context.
For further information and assistance:
Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
Contact the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines, located at 1201 Roxas Boulevard, at +(63) (2) 5301-2000, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is +(63) (2) 5301-2000.
Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
See the State Department’s travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Advisories, Alerts, and the Philippines Country Specific Information .
Visit the U.S. Department of State’s Country Report on Terrorism to learn more.
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View the Original:
https://ph.usembassy.gov/security-alert/
