By CESAR JOLITO III
The Diocese of San Carlos has issued a pastoral statement expressing deep sorrow and renewed calls for peace following a recent armed encounter in Negros Occidental’s Toboso town between government security forces and suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA).
Bishop Gerardo Alminaza described the deadly encounter as a painful reminder of the continuing cycle of violence in Negros, mourning all lives lost in the clash 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 bishop said in his statement titled “Blessed Are the Peacemakers.”
Alminaza lamented what he described as “cut short lives on both sides,” as well as the fear, grief and uncertainty now affecting families and nearby communities.
He said the Church cannot treat such incidents as normal, warning against growing indifference to loss of life.
The bishop also pointed to what he called deeper, unresolved issues behind the armed conflict, including poverty, injustice, broken trust in institutions, and the weakening hope for peaceful reform.
Call for a shift from armed struggle
Alminaza also emphasized that violence cannot produce lasting peace, urging all parties to pursue dialogue instead of armed confrontation.
He appealed to the NPA and others engaged in armed struggle to consider non-violent paths toward justice, while also calling on government security forces to ensure that operations remain firmly grounded in human rights, compassion and justice.
Alminaza also urged local leaders to urgently address long-standing structural issues such as inequality in land access, livelihood opportunities and basic services, which he said continue to fuel unrest in rural communities.
Peace-building efforts
The bishop encouraged residents not to succumb to fear but instead to remain committed to peace-building efforts in their families, barangays and parishes.
“The Church walks with the wounded,” he said, assuring affected communities of continued pastoral support, especially for grieving families and displaced individuals.
Reaffirming the Church’s stance, Alminaza said the diocese will continue to serve as a “voice for the unheard” and a “bridge of reconciliation” in conflict-affected areas of Negros.
He ended his message with a prayer for peace, asking the faithful to entrust the dead to God’s mercy and to seek healing for communities torn by conflict.
“Lord, make us instruments of Your peace,” he prayed.
The statement comes amid renewed concerns over sporadic clashes in parts of Negros Island, where long-standing insurgency issues continue to affect rural communities./CJ, WDJ