• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Five more suspected New People’s Army rebels died in a series of armed encounters on May 16 in the barangays of Abaca and Poblacion, Cauayan, Negros Occidental, following the April 19 gun battle in Brgy. Salamanca, Toboso, which claimed the lives of 19 suspected local insurgents.
Brig. Gen. Jason Jumawan, 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, disclosed that 15th Infantry Battalion soldiers, who responded to reports by civilians on the presence of armed men in their community, engaged in four series of gunbattles with about 10 suspected remnants of the dismantled South West Front- Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros, leading to the death of five suspected NPA rebels.
Army soldiers also recovered an M60 machine gun, five M16 assault rifles, an M14 rifle, M203 grenade launcher, a fragmentation grenade, and two rifle grenades, among other war materials.
Maj. Gen. Michael Samson, 3rd Infantry Division commander, disclosed that the 302nd Infantry Brigade, which supervises the 15IB, responded to the calls of addressing the liquidation activities of rebel remnants in southern Negros, which have victimized at least 26 civilians, including 74-year-old Leonora Anguit, from 2025 until April this year.
The summary execution of Anguit on February 3 in Brgy. Tapi, Kabankalan City, who was accused as a military informant, was earlier claimed by the Armando Sumayang Jr. Command (ASJC) – South West Front, whose members encountered the 15IB soldiers on Saturday in Cauayan, Negros Occidental.
The latest victim of the rebel remnants was Lindio Alvino, 52, whose death on April 22 in Brgy. Manlocahoc, Sipalay City, was claimed by the ASJC.
It is unfortunate that many lives were lost, but the troops had to defend the community who are victims of the Communist Terrorist Group’s (CTG’s) senseless killings by “spy-tagging” innocent civilians, according to Jumawan.
The army identified the slain rebels as Rolando Dantes Jr. with aliases of Mistah, Ana, Anyo, Arnel, Roman, Yo and Jake, commanding officer of the dismantled South West Front, who was facing multiple murder charges in court; Francis Vince Dingding, alias Poy, deputy secretary dismantled South East Front-KR-Negros; Jobert Casipong with aliases of John and Ruby, member of South West Front-KR-Negros; Gilbert Tingson, with aliases of Ryan and Kolingtong, member also of dismantled South West Front-KR-Negros; and Alexander Chavez Languita, alias Axel, member of South East Front-KR-Negros.
Jumawan recalled that Dantes had replaced Renel Cellon, alias Kumpol, who was killed in an armed encounter on April 26, 2025 in Brgy. Tapi, Kabankalan City.
A total of 64 families, composed of 162 individuals, from villages of Abaca, Poblacion, and Man-uling, temporarily sought refuge for security reasons in designated evacuation centers. The Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office is attending to their needs.
Jumawan said the affected families may return to their respective homes as soon as the PNP Scene Of the Crime Operation operatives complete the documentation and processing of the encounter sites.
On April 19, the group of Roger Fabillar, alias Arnel Tapang, who was responsible for the deaths of more than 36 civilians in northern Negros since 2025, was neutralized by the 79th Infantry Battalion, following series of armed encounters in Brgy. Salamanca, Toboso.
Samson said the successful neutralization of another five NPA members linked to numerous atrocities in southern Negros, is a significant setback to the remaining rebel remnants, and will serve as justice for the victims. He vowed to sustain their intensified focused military operations to prevent the fleeing armed group from regrouping and thwart any attempt to sow fear and disrupt the peaceful lives of innocent civilians.*
