(Last of two parts)

Renewed NPA killings

In March, the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB) reported a significant weakening of the New People’s Army (NPA) forces in northern Negros.

This assessment comes following an encounter in Negros Occidental’s Cadiz City, where two high-ranking NPA leaders were killed in Barangay Caduha-an.

The encounter was a major blow to the NPA’s operations in Negros and the broader Visayas region, further weakening their capabilities and morale, 79IB public information officer 1st Lt. Dan Carlo Samoza said.

The 79IB identified the fatalities as Hans “Jojo” Ponteras, acting regional front secretary and finance officer of the Regional Taxation Implementing Group of the Komiteng Rehiyon – Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor; and former squad member Marissa Pobresa, who later became Ponteras’ primary staff and the unit’s regional communications officer.

On April 27, the communist-terrorist group suffered a major blow following the death of seven cadres in a clash with government troops in Negros Occidental.

The series of firefights, in the hinterlands of Kabankalan City’s Barangay Tapi, claimed the lives of Reniel Locsin Cellon, Mary Jane Maguilat, Jhon Isidor Supelanas, and a certain “Pitong,” all from the NPA Southwest Front.

Both rebel fronts have previously been declared as dismantled by the Philippine Army.

However, in October, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson expressed alarm over the resurgence of killings attributed to remnants of the NPA, despite the military’s earlier declaration that Negros Island is in a state of Stable Internal Peace and Security.

The NPA openly claimed responsibility for the deaths of two individuals accused of being military informants, prompting concern among human rights advocates.

Authorities confirmed that at least 10 civilians — mostly farmers and former rebels — have been killed in Toboso, Calatrava, E.B. Magalona, Cadiz City, and Victorias City, and other parts of Negros since last year.

The NPA’s Roselyn Jean Pelle Command admitted to the killing of 58-year-old Jonesly Vallente, Sr. at Barangay Minapasuk in Negros Occidental’s Calatrava town on July 11.

According to Calatrava police, Vallente was ambushed by six unidentified armed men while on his way to his farm in Sitio Harvey.

Five days later, the NPA’s Leonardo Panaligan Command claimed responsibility for killing 59-year-old Jeremias Bianggos at Barangay Imelda in Negros Oriental’s Guihulngan City.

Bianggos, a barangay watchman in Sitio Libas, was similarly branded as a military spy, an intelligence asset for government troops operating in the area.

Police reports earlier confirmed that the victim was shot dead inside his home by unidentified gunmen.

The NPA called the attack part of its so-called “revolutionary justice” to protect local communities from what they claim are threats or abuses.

The Commission on Human Rights initiated a motu proprio investigation in response to the string of killings in Negros, while cases have been filed against identified suspects.

In August, the Philippine Army intensified its campaign against what it calls “terroristic” activities of NPA remnants in Negros Island, vowing justice for civilians targeted in a recent wave of killings allegedly perpetrated by the insurgent group.

The military and police have condemned the NPA’s actions, renewing their call for the public to help put an end to the violence.

To stop the wave of killings attributed to NPA remnants in northern Negros, the Philippine Army has joined forces with five local government units to build a grassroots intelligence network reaching even the remotest sitios.

Meanwhile, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander Brigadier General Ted Dumosmog said they will strengthen government efforts to combat insurgency and improve peace and order initiatives in Negros Island Region.

In 2024, the Armed Forces of the Philippines dismantled five NPA guerrilla fronts and its Regional Security Force on the island, neutralizing several key leaders.

RSSI: New sugarcane pest

The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) intensified efforts to contain the infestation of red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) causing damage to sugarcane in 113 barangays across 21 localities in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental.

A total of 1,574 sugar planters and sugar farmers in Negros Island were affected.

In June, the RSSI infestation has expanded further, now covering nearly 3,000 hectares of sugarcane fields in NIR.

These include the cities of La Carlota, Bago, Talisay, Silay, Victorias, Cadiz, Sagay, and Escalante; the municipalities of La Castellana, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, Murcia, Don Salvador Benedicto, E.B. Magalona, Manapla, Toboso, and Calatrava; as well as capital Bacolod City.

In July, Negros Occidental was placed under a state of calamity after grappling with agricultural damage brought by a widespread destructive outbreak of the RSSI threatening the sugar industry.

RSSI threatens to reduce sugar content by nearly 50 percent, potentially impacting the sugar industry and farmers’ livelihoods in the province.

If left undetected and unmanaged, the RSSI can spread rapidly from one field to another, causing severe crop damage and potential economic loss for farmers.

The SRA has formally requested P10 million in assistance from the Department of Agriculture (DA) to combat the alarming spread of RSSI.

The SRA described the RSSI infestation in Negros Island as “alarming,” prompting them to seek emergency powers and the assistance of other government bodies to contain the pest.

Most farms are experiencing mild infestation at around 20 percent, with one 12-hectare area in the north reporting a severe infestation rate of 70 percent — though this area is now under treatment.

SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona urged farmers to exercise caution when sourcing cane planting materials, noting that the infestation is suspected to have originated from Luzon, where RSSI outbreaks have previously occurred and persist in some farms.

He appealed to farmers to cease transporting planting materials from Luzon and other infected areas, as these have been identified as the primary vectors for the pest’s transmission.

Azcona highlighted the importance of quarantine efforts, recalling how the DA successfully contained a previous pest outbreak of cocolisap by restricting agricultural shipments from affected areas.

Besides quarantine measures, he also mentioned the need for a second trial of a possible insecticide against the RSSI to protect the sugarcane industry.

SRA has created a task force to ensure monitoring and containment of RSSI infestation.

Negros Island, which produces over 60 percent of the country’s sugar, is facing a rapidly escalating threat that has already affected hundreds of hectares of sugarcane fields.

On a positive note, the SRA said 97 hectares had been recovered from the infestation.

Teves extradition

Former Negros Oriental 3rd District Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr., tagged as the mastermind in the slay of Governor Roel Degamo in 2023, was arrested by immigration authorities on May 27, at his residence in Timor-Leste, where he sought asylum.

Teves was being forced out of his residence by individuals believed to be police and immigration officers in Timor-Leste.

He was formally turned over to Philippine authorities at the Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport in Dili on May 29.

Teves was flown back to the Philippines under tight security and handed over to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) after landing at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.

Teves and several others have been charged with the murder of Degamo and nine individuals in the late governor’s residence in Negros Oriental’s Pamplona town in March 2023.

Teves was out of the country at that time and had not returned for more than two years of seeking asylum in Timor-Leste in relation to several murder charges.

In March, the Timor-Leste Court of Appeal denied the extradition request of the Philippines for Teves Jr.

The Timor-Leste court’s decision cited concerns over potential risks of torture or inhumane treatment, as prohibited under their Constitution, leading to the denial of the extradition request.

Teves Jr. hoped for a speedy trial of his case as he is now back in the Philippines.

Due to the NBI’s lack of a dedicated detention facility in Manila, Teves was initially held temporarily at an NBI-managed facility inside the Bureau of Fire Protection compound.

He was transferred to Building 14, a detention facility under the NBI located within the New Bilibid Prison complex in Muntinlupa City.

In June, a Manila court entered a not guilty plea for the expelled Negros Oriental 3rd district representative for his illegal possession of firearms and explosives case.

In July, Teves did not enter a plea during his arraignment for his terrorism cases at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.

In September, a Manila court granted Teves’ bail petition in one of his murder cases, but his camp said that he will not be released yet due to other pending cases.

The court recommended a bail of P120,000 for his temporary liberty.

Teves was first arrested in March 2024 through an International Criminal Police Organization’s red notice.

In 2024, a court in Dumaguete City also issued an arrest order against Teves for murder, illegal possession of explosives, illegal possession of firearms, and for violating the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act.

Municipal water commercial fishing

The Negros Occidental provincial government has strongly expressed its support for the rights of small-scale fisherfolk and the protection of marine resources across the province after a Supreme Court (SC) decision that allowed commercial fishers to operate within the 15-kilometer municipal waters previously reserved for local fisherfolk.

The SC ruling allowing commercial fishing vessels within municipal waters threatens the livelihoods of small-scale fishers, disrupts marine biodiversity, and undermines decades-long efforts to maintain responsible fisheries management.

The provincial government reaffirmed its commitment to advocating for the continued preferential access of small-scale fishers to these waters, recognizing their vital role in marine conservation and the local economy.

The local government stated that the ruling “presents a serious challenge for local government units, fisherfolk and coastal communities.”

Several fisherfolk associations in Negros Occidental’s Cadiz City have expressed concern over the SC ruling, prompting them to bring the issue to the city government.

Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante said nearly half of the city’s barangays are located along the coast, where around 4,500 residents depend on fishing for their livelihood.

Local fisherfolk associations have passed a resolution urging the Cadiz Sangguniang Panlungsod and the Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan to file an appeal before the SC.

Commercial fishing vessels are aware of the potential impact on small-scale fishermen if they enter the 15-kilometer municipal waters, which have been traditionally reserved for local fishers.

Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson stated that he had left the decision to appeal the SC ruling to the national government.

Lacson was optimistic that the recent SC decision would be overturned.

He said the decision will threaten the livelihood of more than 45,000 marginalized fishing communities in Negros Occidental.

The SC First Division, in a resolution dated August 19, 2024, upheld a Malabon Regional Trial Court decision declaring the Fisheries Code’s preferential access provisions unconstitutional.

The trial court had rendered the ruling in the suit filed by Mercidar Fishing Corp., a commercial fishing firm in Navotas City, which filed a petition for declaratory relief on October 25, 2023.

Large commercial fishing vessels are still banned from municipal waters.

Typhoon “Tino”

At least 96 individuals died while 40 individuals are still missing across Negros Island Region (NIR) as Typhoon “Tino” unleashed fury in the region on November 4.

Negros Occidental’s Moises Padilla town recorded 19 deaths and 10 missing persons, the highest in NIR.

Canlaon City in Negros Oriental followed closely with 18 deaths and three missing.

Other affected localities include La Castellana (14 deaths, 14 missing), Hinigaran (10 deaths), Isabela (eight deaths, four missing), Bago City (seven deaths, four missing), Binalbagan (six deaths), La Carlota City (four deaths, three missing), and others in San Carlos City, Murcia, Himamaylan City, Vallehermoso, Pontevedra, Ilog, and San Enrique.

A total of 218,764 families or 792,251 individuals across 31 localities in Negros Occidental were affected by “Tino.”

“Tino” brought powerful winds and torrential rains, submerging communities.

Power, telecommunications and internet services were knocked out, crippling emergency operations centers and making coordination between local government units extremely difficult.

Negros Occidental was placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4 as “Tino” battered the province.

The widespread flooding in southern Negros Occidental left the agricultural sector reeling, with damage estimates now exceeding P55 million.

The scale of devastation brought by relentless rainfall submerged farms and displaced hundreds of farmers across key agricultural towns in the south.

The damage left behind by the typhoon climbed to nearly P2 billion in Negros Occidental, affecting critical infrastructure, agriculture and education facilities.

The total estimated destruction has reached P1.97 billion, marking one of the province’s most financially devastating weather-related incidents in recent years.

The bulk of the losses — amounting to P1.5 billion — came from the infrastructure sector.

Several bridges, roads and public structures sustained heavy damage, with multiple areas reporting impassable routes and collapsed or heavily eroded sections.

Agriculture and livelihood losses reached P303 million, further straining communities already grappling with the aftermath of flash floods and landslides.

Breakdown of agricultural losses includes P158.17 million in crops, P18.84 million in livestock, P125.67 million in fisheries, and P449,000 in damaged farm machineries.

The devastation brought by Typhoon “Tino” has prompted widespread calamity across Negros Island, with Negros Occidental, Bacolod City and Negros Oriental’s Canlaon City officially placed under a state of calamity./WDJ