• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The affirmation on the legitimacy of the April 19 encounter between government troops and remnants of the New People’s Army in Toboso, Negros Occidental, by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson earned praises from the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
In a statement, the NTF-ELCAC described Lacson’s position as a “clear, courageous, and principled” rejection of what it called propaganda and misinformation being spread by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and allied organizations following the clash.
Lacson emphasized that the military operation was legitimate and was carried out based on information provided by residents in the community.
Undersecretary Ernesto Torres, NTF-ELCAC executive director, said the statement of Gov. Lacson completely demolishes the falsehoods being spread to malign the security forces and romanticize armed rebellion.
The NTF-ELCAC said Lacson’s remarks reflected the sentiments of many Negrenses who, according to the agency, have endured decades of violence, intimidation, extortion, and armed conflict linked to communist insurgency in the province.
The task force added that community cooperation leading to the operation demonstrated growing public rejection of armed insurgents in Negros Occidental.
“The people themselves led authorities to the armed group because the people themselves have long rejected the presence of communist terrorists in Negros,” the statement said.
The agency also criticized organizations outside Negros that it claimed were attempting to “distort realities on the ground” and influence public opinion regarding the incident.
NTF-ELCAC noted that several local government units across Negros Occidental have previously declared the CPP-NPA-NDF persona non grata, including Bacolod City and the municipalities of Murcia, Hinigaran, Cauayan, Escalante, Calatrava, and most recently Toboso.
The Toboso municipal council also issued its declaration following the April 19 encounter and condemned the killing of civilians accused by the NPA of being military informants.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines reported that more than 60 civilians in Negros Island have allegedly been killed since last year through so-called “spy-tagging” incidents attributed to the rebel movement.
The victims were described as farmers, laborers, and ordinary residents accused of cooperating with authorities. The NTF-ELCAC said the province is now focused on peace, development, education, tourism, and livelihood opportunities rather than armed struggle.*
