BACOLOD City — Hundreds of residents were displaced after an armed encounter between government troops and suspected insurgents broke out in a remote village in Toboso, Negros Occidental on April 19.
Toboso Mayor Richard Jaojoco released an initial report through his official social media account as of 10 p.m., detailing the number of affected individuals who were temporarily relocated to evacuation centers.
A total of 168 households, or 653 individuals, were evacuated and are currently taking shelter in three designated centers: 85 households (303 individuals) at Salamanca Elementary School, six households (24 individuals) at Toril Elementary School, and 77 households (326 individuals) at Labilabi Elementary School in Barangay San Jose.
The evacuation was prompted by an ongoing clash between troops of the 79th Infantry Battalion (79IB) of the Philippine Army (PA) and suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Sitio Sinugmawan, Barangay Salamanca.
Jaojoco said residents were urgently moved out of their homes to ensure their safety as the situation unfolded. He urged the public to remain in evacuation centers and prioritize their security while awaiting further updates from authorities.
Meanwhile, Philippine Army commanding general Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete said on Monday, April 20, that the military will sustain its campaign against communist insurgents despite the series of encounters in Negros Occidental.
“The Philippine Army condoles with the families of the Communist Terrorist Group members who perished in the military operation on April 19, in Toboso, Negros Occidental. It is unfortunate that these individuals were themselves victims of lies and deception that exploit the vulnerable,” Nafarrete said.
He assured the public that operations against insurgents will continue.
“We assure the Filipino people that there will be no let-up in our campaign to end the decades-long scourge of communist insurgency once and for all. The Philippine Army stands firm in its mission to serve the people and secure the land,” he added.
Initial field reports relayed by PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said 19 alleged NPA members were killed in six encounters between government forces and insurgents. One Army soldier sustained a minor injury and is now in stable condition.
The Visayas Command (Viscom) said the operation dealt a significant blow to insurgents attempting to regain ground in northern Negros.
“This latest setback of the CPP-NPA weakens their ability to sow fear and terror among communities and undermines their efforts to reestablish a foothold in Northern Negros,” said Lt. Gen. Fernando Reyeg, Viscom commander.
Among those reportedly killed was Roger Fabillar, also known as “Jhong” or “Arnel Tapang,” identified as head of the Special Partisan Unit (SPARU) under the Northern Negros Front.
Viscom said Fabillar carried a P1 million bounty and was allegedly linked to the killings of civilians in Escalante City and Toboso.
Reports also indicated that some fatalities fell into a nearby fishpond, causing delays in the retrieval of bodies. As of this writing, nine firearms have reportedly been recovered from the encounter site.
Authorities, however, emphasized that these details have yet to be officially confirmed by the military. /PN
