• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Two more civilians have added to the long list of victims of atrocities perpetrated and claimed by the New People’s Army in Negros Island, since March last year.
Almost all of the victims were tagged as military spies by the NPA remnants, who were reported by the military to have been avoiding armed confrontation.
In a statement, the Armando Sumayang Jr. Command-New People’s Army (ASJC-NPA) claimed responsibility for the death of Renante ‘Bulantoy’ Vedarte, 39, at Purok Tuburan in Barangay Tapi, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on February 23.
Rebel spokesperson Andrea Guerrero alleged that Vedarte served as a guide of the Army’s 15th Infantry Battalion during an encounter at Purok Maghirupay in the barangay on April 25 last year, which led to the death of seven of their comrades
Police investigations showed that the victim was about to ride his motorcycle when unidentified suspects approached and shot him in the head.
A joint pursuit operation of the 15IB and troopers of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion – Negros Island Region led to an armed confrontation with the fleeing suspects, where one of them was reported to have been injured, but managed to escape, as indicated by a blood-stained slipper recovered at the scene of incident.
Further police investigations led to the identification of two fleeing suspects, as alias R-Jay, and alias Makoy/Akiro, a resident of Brgy. Trinidad, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.
Another statement issued by the Roselyn Jean Pelle Command (RJPC) in northern Negros, also claimed the death of a certain Big Boy Ferrer on Feb. 26 at Sitio Lumanab in Brgy. Dian-ay. Escalante City.
RJPC spokesperson Cecil Estrella accused the victim of engaging in illegal activities.
Police investigations showed that the victim was shot and killed outside of his residence. He succumbed multiple gunshot wounds, including a fatal injury in the head
Recovered by the Escalante City police from the scene of the incident were eight fired cartridges of a caliber .45 pistol.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Negros Island Region has been repeatedly called on by peace advocates to investigate the spate of killings of innocent civilians, which have been claimed by the NPA.
The National Task Force-Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), through Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. said labeling civilians as spies without proof makes them targets and is terrorism, not armed struggle.
In a statement, Torres cited the killing of elderly Lola Leonor Aguit in Brgy. Tapi, Kabankalan City, early last month, as part of the pattern.
Torres condemned the killings of 28 civilians in Negros since March 2025, averaging two per month.
He urged the CHR to investigate impartially, and stressed that violence against civilians cannot be justified by ideology.*
