On 18 September 2019, Rolly Hernando, Joel Guillero, Leon Charito, Buenvinido Ducay, Kenneth  Serondo, Carlo Apurado, Reynaldo Saura and Aiza Gamao (members and leaders of NFSW-Teatro  Obrero and of the urban organization Kadamay) were arrested in Barangay Jonob-Jonob, Escalante  City, Negros Occidental. They were part of the public information team going around various cities in  northern parts of Negros and informing the public about upcoming activities related to the Escalante  Massacre Anniversary on 20 September 2019. They were flagged down by men dressed in civilian  clothes and wearing bonnets who demanded to see their permits for the activity and asked them to  stand away from their vehicle. The complainants allege that the men planted two pistols and empty rum bottles in the vehicle, seized the mobile phones of the activists and deleted photos of the incident