• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental 3rd District Representative Javier Miguel Benitez has withdrawn his earlier call for a congressional inquiry into the April 19 encounter in Toboso that left 19 people dead, saying ongoing investigations by government agencies should proceed without political interference.
Benitez initially sought an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the Toboso encounters, which he said was intended as a fact-finding measure. However, the lawmaker said he decided not to pursue it further as several investigations are already being conducted by authorities, including the Commission on Human Rights and other government agencies.
“The right course is to let these processes run their full course without political interference,” Benitez said. “Justice is best served by institutions doing their work, not by Congress getting ahead of them.”
Local chief executives of Negros Occidental have come to the defense of the Philippine Army in upholding peace and security, while Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson maintained that the April 19 incident in Toboso was a “legitimate encounter.”
Lacson, who also chairs the Regional Peace and Order Council–Negros Island Region, said the military operation could not have succeeded without the cooperation of residents in the community.
Benitez also commended the efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, particularly the 79th Infantry Battalion and the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, as well as barangay officials and residents helping maintain peace and security in Negros Occidental.
The solon emphasized that insurgency remains a serious concern in the province, affecting the daily lives of farmers, teachers, and local officials.
“The insurgency in Negros is not an abstraction debated in Manila or argued about online. It is a daily reality our farmers, teachers, and local officials live with. It is felt in fear, in displacement, in lost school days, in stalled livelihoods,” he said.
He also urged students, journalists, and researchers visiting Negros Occidental for field work and community engagements to coordinate with their schools, barangays, and local government units for safety.
“In parts of our province where the conflict remains, coordination is a layer of safety. We want you to be able to do what you came to do, and to go home safely,” Benitez said.
Among those killed in the encounter were two American activists, two student activists from University of the Philippines Diliman, a community journalist, and a teacher.
Benitez likewise called for unity and healing in the aftermath of the violence, stressing that lasting peace in Negros cannot be achieved through military action alone.
“But peace in Negros will not be won by force alone,” he said. “Our people need two things in equal measure: protection and new sources of livelihood.”
The congressman underscored the need for stronger security measures and long-term investments in agriculture, tourism, creative industries, and education to address the roots of insurgency in the province.
“Where there is no opportunity, despair grows. And despair is what the insurgency feeds on,” Benitez added, noting that sustainable development is essential in providing young people with “a real future.”
Benitez also expressed sympathy for the families of those who died in the Toboso encounter.
“Whatever the circumstances, every one of those lives mattered. As a Negrosanon and as a public servant, I grieve with the families left behind,” he said.*
