‘Painful shared reality’: The killing of 19 suspected rebels in Negros Occidental

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – Nineteen people were killed on Sunday, April 19, in a clash between government forces and suspected communist rebels in a remote village in Toboso town, an encounter that has stirred shock and condemnation on Negros Island and renewed questions about the cost of a long-running insurgency.

The military quickly defended the operation, describing it as part of its mandate to confront armed groups it says threaten local communities.

At the same time, the Army sought to temper any sense of triumph, saying the deaths of the 19 suspected members of the New People’s Army did not merit celebration, even as it called the outcome “justice served” for dozens of civilians on Negros Island accused of being “military spies” and killed by rebels since January 2024.

Among those killed during the clash was Roger Fabillar, whom the military said was also known as “Kumander Arnel Tapang.”

Fabillar had a P1-million bounty, said Brigadier General Ted Dumusmog, commander of the Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade.

Toboso Mayor Richard Jaojoco said on Tuesday, April 21, residents were shocked by the encounter, which began at 4 am, led to sporadic clashes and ended at nearly 3 pm.

The 12-hour firefight in Sitio Sinugmawan, Barangay Salamanca, followed manhunt operations by soldiers from the Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion, based in Sagay City in northern Negros Occidental.

At least 653 people from 168 households in Barangays Salamanca and San Jose were displaced and are now housed in three schools serving as evacuation centers.

Jaojoco said authorities were awaiting Army clearance on when evacuees could return home.

He said the encounter sent shockwaves across the town’s nine villages, with children in two barangays particularly affected by the prolonged gunbattle.

Bishop’s lamentation

San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza lamented the incident, calling it deeply troubling.

In a pastoral letter released on Monday, April 20, Alminaza said, “This painful incident reveals something deeper about our shared reality…. Violence does not arise in a vacuum. It takes root where wounds have long been left unattended – where poverty persists, where injustice is endured, where trust between people and institutions has been broken, and where hope in peaceful change has slowly faded.”

He added, “We mourn all who have died, regardless of political affiliation. For every life lost is a child of God, known and loved by Him. Every death wounds not only a family, but the whole Body of Christ.” 

The University of the Philippines Office of the Student Regent condemned what it described as continued militarization on Negros Island and called on government forces to comply with international human rights law and protect communities.

It also urged the Armed Forces to restrain operations that could lead to displacement and heightened risks to civilians.

‘Consequence’

Major General Michael Samson, commanding general of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, said, “We do not rejoice whenever lives are lost. But we cannot prevent such a tragedy, as it is the consequence of taking up arms and fighting against the government.”

The Toboso clash was a moment of reflection, said Ernesto Torres Jr., undersecretary of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.

He said it also reflected what he described as “terror-grooming” in Negros, a systematic process of recruitment and indoctrination targeting the youth and vulnerable.

Torres added that such clashes compounded the impact of killings linked to alleged “spy-tagging” by rebels.

Security reports indicate that since 2025, at least 45 civilians have allegedly been killed by the NPA after being labeled “informants” or “traitors,” averaging three to four killings per month.

“While our forces have successfully neutralized an armed threat, we must confront the painful truth that those who perished were Filipinos – misled, manipulated, and ultimately sacrificed by a collapsing terrorist movement that continues to feed on lies and deception,” Torres said.

Mayor Jaojoco, meanwhile, called for an end to the insurgency in Negros.

“[It’s] not a healthy reality. It only injures our peace and order,” he said. – Rappler.com