State forces arrested a family in Sorsogon, two farmers in Quezon and Masbate, and youth in Isabela in the past weeks. They are being accused of various criminal offenses and links with the New People’s Army (NPA).

On April 17, police and the 31st IB arrested Gilberto Tolentino, a 50-year-old farmer, his wife Amelia, 47, their daughter Regine, 21, and their 2-year-old grandchild. State forces took them from Barangay San Vicente, Donsol, Sorsogon, to a location unknown to their relatives.

State forces reportedly targeted only Gilberto but his wife and relatives refused to let him go alone, so they all went together. On April 18, the relatives of the Tolentino family and barangay officials immediately went to the police station in Donsol and the military camp in Barangay San Jose to locate the victims. The police and military denied having custody of the family.

In Masbate, the 2nd IB arrested Isabel delos Reyes, 56, a civilian farmer from Barangay Libertad, Cawayan on April 17. This was after an encounter between the 2nd IB and NPA-Masbate (Jose Rapsing Command) that day at the boundary of Barangay Miabas, Palanas and Barangay Libertad, Cawayan. She was made to pose for a photograph holding a gun and was forced to make a statement that the NPA unit was “extorting” from local candidates in the 2025 elections.

In Quezon, the military arrested Rico Endrinal, a farmer resident of Barangay Sugod, Lopez on April 6. He was transferred from one detention facility to another and his family had difficulty contacting him. After the incident, soldiers camped in their community and relentlessly harassed his family.

In Isabela province, the 5th ID nabbed Andy Magno of Kabataan Party-list and his Agta companion while campaigning in Barangay Dicamay Dos, Jones on April 20. Magno is a graduate of University of the Philippines-Manila.