Hayward activist Lyle Prijoles, who spent two decades fighting for farmworkers in the Philippines, was fatally shot by the Philippine armed forces in Negros, along with 18 others. There will be vigils honoring Prijoles Tuesday at SF State and Friday in SoMa.

Lyle Prijoles, a 40-year-old human rights activist from Hayward, was among 19 people fatally shot by the Philippine armed forces on the island of Negros, located south of Manila, on April 19, as KTVU reports. The military action, which many are calling a massacre, also displaced 653 residents and caused 200 more to flee the area, according to the site Bayan USA.

Prijoles dedicated the past two decades to advocating for exploited farmworkers in the Philippines, beginning when he was a student at San Francisco State University, and he visited the country several times over the years.

Per KTVU, students and faculty at SF State plan to hold a vigil remembering Prijoles Tuesday at 6 pm, and the East Oakland community held a vigil Monday night. Bindlestiff Studio in SoMa will also be holding a vigil Friday evening, as Prijoles was also a talented writer and performer.

The Philippines’ Commission on Human Rights has launched an investigation into the April 19 massacre. The military claims it was targeting armed rebels, which Prijoles’s family and friends deny. They’re demanding the US cease sending aid there, as the Philippines is one of the largest recipients of US military assistance in the region, and fellow activists are reportedly proposing legislation on the matter.

"We want the U.S. to stop sending our tax dollars," said activist Sadie Stone, a friend of Prijoles, speaking to KTVU. "We see a direct tie to what's happening here — our Congress supporting their military."

Marienne Cuison, Prijoles’ wife, said she hopes her husband’s heroism inspires others to fight for the people of Negros.

Per Bayan USA, sugarcane workers in Negros have been enduring violence and exploitation for over a century. In 2018, former President Rodrigo Duterte passed a memorandum designating the city as being in a “state of lawless violence.” This prompted increased military presence in the area, culminating in the massacre of nine members of the National Federation of Sugar Workers and dozens of illegal arrests in 2021.

Of the 135 extrajudicial killings that occurred in the Philippines between 2022 and 2025, 52 reportedly took place in Negros.

Prijoles's friends and colleagues are raising funds to have his body flown back to the US, per KTVU. They’ve also compiled links for the community to share photos and messages remembering Prijoles, as well as information on his work and staying up to date with investigations into the shootings.

Image: Bindlestiff Studios