BACOLOD City — The local government of Cauayan, Negros Occidental strongly condemned the New People’s Army (NPA) following a series of armed encounters in the town’s hinterland on Saturday, May 16, that left five alleged communist rebels dead and displaced about 180 families.
The clashes occurred in the villages of Abaca, Man-uling, and Poblacion, where troops of the Philippine Army’s 15th Infantry Battalion (15IB), under the 302nd Infantry Brigade, engaged remnants of the South West Front of the Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros.
Military reports said the first encounter broke out at around 6 a.m., followed by two more clashes at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. after residents tipped off authorities about the presence of armed rebels in the area.
On Sunday, government troops recovered five bodies from the encounter site and transported them to a funeral home in Cauayan with the assistance of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
Radio reports identified three of the fatalities by their aliases: “Kolinting,” “Anyo,” and “John” or “Robi.”
Soldiers also recovered eight high-powered firearms, including an M60 machine gun, M16 rifles, an M14 rifle, an M203 grenade launcher, and hand grenades.
In a statement, Cauayan Mayor John Rey Tabujara denounced the violence and its impact on local communities.
“The Local Government of Cauayan strongly condemns the violence, intimidation, and disturbance caused by the New People’s Army following the recent armed encounters in Barangay Abaca and Barangay Man-uling,” Tabujara said.
“These acts have disrupted the peace of our communities and placed innocent civilians in distress. Cauayan will not tolerate any threat to the safety, security, and well-being of our people,” he added.
Tabujara said the municipal government is closely coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines to secure affected areas, protect residents, and restore peace and order. He also urged residents to remain calm, vigilant, and cooperative with authorities.
In the aftermath of the clashes, the mayor convened an emergency coordination meeting with Army officials, health personnel, the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, barangay officials, and other concerned agencies to strengthen security coordination and expedite assistance to displaced residents.
Several families from Sitio Turil and Sitio Tambayagon in Barangay Man-uling were forced to evacuate, while the military estimated that around 180 families from the three affected barangays were temporarily displaced.
Brig. Gen. Jason Jumawan, commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade, said the losses suffered by the NPA reflect the continued collapse of insurgent forces in Negros.
“The continued collapse of communist-terrorist formations in Negros reflects the growing rejection of violent armed struggle by communities once exploited,” Jumawan said.
“It’s unfortunate that many lives were lost, but the troops had to defend the community, who are victims of the senseless killings of innocent civilians,” he added.
Maj. Gen. Michael Samson, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, described the operation as a significant setback for the remaining rebel forces in southern Negros.
“The successful neutralization of five communist terrorist group members is a significant setback to the remaining remnants of these armed groups,” Samson said.
“The tip-off from the local populace reflects the growing trust and confidence of the community in the Army. We will sustain intensified focused military operations to prevent the fleeing NPA terrorists from regrouping,” he added.
The military renewed its call on remaining rebels to surrender peacefully and avail themselves of government reintegration programs./PN
