Army: NPA leadership in northern Negros wiped out
BACOLOD CITY — Five of the 19 alleged rebels killed in an encounter on Sunday were key officials of the New People’s Army’s Northern Negros Front (NNF), creating a leadership vacuum in the area, a Philippine Army official said Tuesday.
Brig. Gen. Ted Dumosmog, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, said the group’s core leadership had been eliminated.
“Their core leadership has been wiped out,” he told the Inquirer.
The 19 rebels were killed in a series of encounters with troops of the 79th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, Negros Occidental.
Authorities have so far identified only five of the 19 recovered bodies.
Among those killed were Glenmar Bacosmo, reportedly the NNF secretary, and his deputy, known by the alias “Pat.”
Also slain were Rene Vilavencenio, vice squad leader of NNF Squad 2, and Pedro Bonghanoy, alias “Regine,” team leader of the NNF’s Centro de Gravedad.
Earlier identified among the fatalities was long-wanted rebel leader Roger Fabillar, who also used the aliases Arnel Tapang, Jhong, Nono, and Domeng.
Dumosmog said Fabillar served as commanding officer of the NNF Special Operations Group and Centro de Gravedad, and was linked to numerous killings of civilians in northern Negros.
‘Foreign-looking’
Photos circulating online showed several women and a man described as “foreign-looking” among the fatalities. Asked whether one of those killed was a foreigner, Dumosmog said there are many foreign-looking individuals in Negros and did not confirm the claim.
The Army said troops recovered 23 firearms from the scene, including seven M16 rifles, three Garand rifles, three M14 rifles, a carbine rifle, an M203 grenade launcher, six .45-caliber pistols, and three .357 Magnum revolvers.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said that while the military described the operation as “justice served,” the incident saddened him.
“When incidents like this happen, it really saddens me because it is Filipinos fighting fellow Filipinos,” Lacson said in a separate interview.
He reiterated his call for insurgents to lay down their arms and rejoin society, noting that both national and provincial governments have programs to help former rebels start anew.
“We are hoping that members of the NPA will just lay down their arms and join us. We will continue to help them,” he said.
Lacson also expressed hope that violence, especially in northern Negros, would come to an end.
In recent months, several violent incidents have been reported in the area, including killings of civilians blamed on the NPA.
‘Wake-up call’
San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza said the clash in Toboso should not be reduced to a body count.
“It must become a wake-up call. The conversation must return to root causes, not focus solely on armed actors. Peace processes must be inclusive, not reduced to military solutions,” he said.
He also called for just and participatory rural development, protection of communities caught in conflict, and accountability for past and present abuses.
“To change the future, we must also change the narrative—from one of recurring violence to one grounded in justice, peace, and shared humanity,” Alminaza added.
“A just peace is not merely the absence of gunfire. It is the presence of justice in land, labor, and livelihood, participation in governance, truth-telling and accountability, the healing of historical wounds, and the restoration of human dignity. It demands more courage than war because it requires transformation, not domination,” he said.
The 303rd Infantry Brigade said the neutralization of the 19 rebels in Toboso marked a significant step toward justice for victims.
“It must be clearly understood that those who persist in committing crimes must face the consequences under the law,” Dumosmog said.
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