FACT CHECK: Photo of ‘Toboso 19’ holding flags of communist, red-tagged groups is AI-generated

Claim: A photo of the 19 people killed during an armed encounter in Toboso, Negros Occidental — dubbed the Toboso 19 — shows them holding the flags of communist-linked groups and other organizations frequently red-tagged. 

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The photo has been circulating on various social media channels, with the most popular one garnering 2,300 reactions, 668 shares, and 751 comments on Facebook as of writing. A Facebook page called “The TRUTH,” which has 10,000 followers, posted it.

The viral photo supposedly shows the Toboso 19 holding flags of the following organizations: the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the New People’s Army, the National Democratic Front, labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno, and party-list groups Anakpawis and Bayan Muna.

“Eto ang nakuhang larawan ilang araw bago mangyari ang engkwentro sa Negros. ‘Wag na ‘wag po tayong magpapaloko sa mga recruiter upang hindi humantong sa kamatayan o kulungan,” the page writes in the post’s caption.

(This is the photo taken a few days before the encounter in Negros. Let’s not be fooled by recruiters so we do not end up dead or imprisoned.)

The same photo is being circulated by other users, who are sharing the claims in Facebook groups and on their Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) accounts.

The facts: The photo is 99% likely to be AI-generated, according to the detection tool SightEngine. The tool pointed out that the photo has 84% probability of being manipulated using AI image generators Imagen and Nano Banana.

The viral photo, posted on May 2, was also previously fact-checked by Philstar.com. Their article pointed out that the genuine photo posted on April 29 by a Facebook user from Negros Occidental shows that the group was not holding any flags. A comparison of the two photos also shows that the group’s faces were significantly altered in the fake photo.

Philstar.com’s fact check also cited Human Rights Advocates Negros, which said the photo was “edited” and an attempt at “red-tagging.”

Toboso 19: The April 19 armed encounter in Toboso killed 19 people, whom the military suspected to be armed communist rebels, although the CPP claims nine of the casualties were civilians.

Among these civilians were community journalist RJ Ledesma, student leader Alyssa Alano, peasant organizer Maureen Santuyo, researcher Errol Wendel, and Filipino-American activist Lyle Prijoles.

The killings sparked outrage from student groups and civil society organizations, who took to the streets or condemned the violence online. The Commission on Human Rights has started an independent investigation into the armed clash, while Southeast Asian lawmakers have called on the Philippines to hold the military accountable. (WATCH: In the Public Square: Understanding Toboso)

Other red-tagged organizations: Some flags in the fake photo also depict organizations that have denied links to communist and militant groups.  

Bayan Muna has repeatedly denied and condemned attempts to depict their group as fronts for the CPP. The same goes for labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno and party-list Anakpawis.

Rappler has also debunked other claims that attempt to red-tag progressive groups or individuals:

• FACT CHECK: Contrary to claim, Makabayan bloc not communist recruiters 
• FACT CHECK: Makabayan bloc senatorial slate has not been disqualified
• FACT CHECK: Makabayan bloc leaders not affiliated with CPP-NPA
• FACT CHECK: Risa Hontiveros not affiliated with CPP-NPA
• FACT CHECK: No ‘illegal deductions’ cited in DepEd memo on ACT teachers 

– Shay Du/Rappler.com

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.