CHR urged to probe insurgency-related killings in Negros

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — The Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) urged the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and all human rights advocates to look into the murders perpetrated by the New People’s Army (NPA) in Negros Island.

Based on 3ID records, at least 28 individuals have been brutally murdered in Negros Island since March 2025, in a series of killings perpetrated by NPA remnants, with an average of two people killed each month.

The most recent victim was an elderly woman who was shot outside her residence in Barangay Tapi, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Feb. 3. She was linked to an encounter between military troopers and the NPA that killed seven rebels in the village in April last year.

“We urged the CHR to investigate these crimes thoroughly, and help the victims achieve rightful justice,” the 3ID said in a statement.

The Philippine Army stressed that the perpetrators must be held accountable and brought to justice, noting that the killings are not isolated incidents but a systematic attack on the dignity and safety of ordinary citizens.

The 3ID said the victims were not combatants but ordinary citizens, including farmers, peasants and elders, whose only crime was choosing peace over violence.

“Every life taken by the NPA leaves behind grieving families and traumatized communities, deepening fear while exposing the emptiness of the group’s revolutionary tactics,” it stated.

Aside from these incidents, another killing was claimed by the NPA in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, on Feb. 17.

In a statement released by the Romeo Nanta Command-NPA South Central Guerrilla, the group admitted to the murder of a 48-year-old farmer in Barangay Santol, tagging him as an alleged intelligence asset of the military.

The group claimed it had tried to reach out to the victim in 2018. However, the victim allegedly resumed engaging in anti-revolutionary actions in 2023, prompting them to sanction him.

Based on a police investigation, the victim was moving rocks from the road to allow a truck to pass while his companions were loading harvested sugarcane when unidentified persons fired shots from a distance.

The victim sustained gunshot wounds to his right arm and head and was declared dead in a hospital. A 25-year-old laborer was wounded in the gun attack, sustaining leg injuries.

The 3ID strongly denounced the acts and reaffirmed its commitment to protect the people, uphold the rule of law and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The Army said the continued NPA violence is meant to weaken public morale and break unity. “This continuous violence unmasks the NPA’s propaganda. While they claim to fight for social justice, their actions reveal a group desperate to maintain relevance through bloodshed,” it stated.

The Army encouraged the public to stand united against the insurgency. “We will not bow to terror, we will rise as one Negros,” it said.

The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, which has been waging one of Asia’s longest-running insurgencies since 1969. Although significantly weakened in recent years through sustained military operations and the surrender of former combatants, NPA remnants continue to carry out sporadic attacks, particularly in rural areas of the Visayas and Mindanao.

AWARDED

Maj. Gen. Michael Samson, 3ID commander, commended several personnel of various battalions in the region during a series of visits to army units from Feb. 16 to 18.

During his visit to the 302nd Infantry Brigade at Camp Leon Kilat in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental, 12 soldiers from the 47th Infantry Battalion (IB) were awarded for acts of heroism.

He also conferred military merit medals on six members of the 62nd IB for their outstanding performance in operations against remnants of Central Negros 1, Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, during his visit at Camp Tirambulo in Guihulngan City in the same province.

He also visited the 79th IB in Barangay Bato, Sagay City, Negros Occidental, where nine soldiers were honored for their bravery.

On the final day of his visit, the 3ID commander joined the anniversary celebration of the 94th IB in Barangay Tambo, Ayungon, Negros Oriental. Fifteen soldiers of the 94th IB were recognized for their courage and dedication.

Samson said his visits were aimed at ensuring the welfare of the troops, strengthening their morale and reaffirming the readiness of each unit in sustaining the campaign against insurgency to maintain peace and security across the Negros Island Region.