By CESAR JOLITO III
Conflicting narratives have emerged following a deadly encounter at Barangay Salamanca in Negros Occidental’s Toboso town, with the New People’s Army (NPA) and the Philippine Army presenting sharply opposing accounts regarding the identities of those killed and the circumstances of the incident.
Army spokesperson Colonel Louie Dema-ala stated that troops of the 79th Infantry Battalion were conducting a legitimate security operation when they encountered armed resistance.
Dema-ala questioned claims circulating online that those killed were civilians, emphasizing that firearms were recovered at the scene and that the individuals involved were engaged in an armed confrontation.
“Assertions that the victims were unarmed researchers, journalists or social workers do not align with operational reports from the ground,” Dema-ala said, adding that the military remains committed to adhering to International Humanitarian Law and respecting human rights during operations.
“While any loss of life is deeply concerning and warrants proper investigation, it is also important to address a fundamental question: Bakit sila nasa mismong encounter site, armado at nakikipagbarilan sa mga sundalo? This is not a trivial detail that can simply be ignored or dismissed,” he added.
He also cautioned against what he described as a “trial by social media,” urging the public to allow proper legal and institutional processes to determine the facts surrounding the incident.
The incident in Toboso has sparked renewed debate over the ongoing insurgency in Negros Island, an area that has long been a flash point in clashes between government forces and communist rebels.
Authorities have yet to release a finalized, independently verified account of the encounter, and investigations are expected to continue as both sides maintain opposing versions of events.
At least 19 alleged rebels, including a suspected NPA hitman identified as Roger Fabillar, also known as “Jhong” and “Arnel Tapang,” were killed in a series of armed encounters with government troops in Toboso’s Barangay Salamanca on Sunday morning, April 19.
‘Fabricated narrative’
In contrast, Ka Maoche Legislador, spokesperson of the Apolinario Gatmaitan Command of the NPA, condemned the Army, describing its official report as a “fabricated narrative” and alleging that some of those killed were civilians, including farmers, journalists and human rights advocates who were allegedly documenting a peasant-related activity at the time of the clash.
“[They were] standing alongside farmers who are consistently pushed to the margins by land-grabbing and systemic neglect,” Legislador said in a statement.
The NPA claimed that only a portion of the fatalities were armed fighters under their command, while others were non-combatants allegedly caught in the crossfire.
It further accused the military of misrepresenting the incident by presenting recovered firearms as evidence that all 19 reported casualties were armed combatants.
The group also reiterated long-standing allegations of past incidents in Negros Island, claiming a pattern of “fabricated encounters” and “planted evidence,” citing previous controversial cases in the province as context for their claims.
These assertions, however, remain unverified by independent investigations./CJ, WDJ