Classes suspended after clash in Victorias City

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — Classes at Gawahon Integrated School in Barangay Gawahon, Victorias City, Negros Occidental were suspended Monday following a clash between the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion and suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) on Sunday night.

1st Lt. Dan Carlo Samoza, civil-military operations officer of the 79th IB, said the local government ordered the suspension as a precautionary measure to protect students and school personnel amid ongoing military pursuit operations in the area.

The school announced via social media that it has shifted to distance learning while on-site classes remain suspended.

The armed encounter occurred around 7:30 p.m. Sunday during a routine patrol as part of a community support mission to help maintain peace and stability in the region.

Samoza said the NPA fighters appeared to have been caught off guard by the presence of government troops.

“Nabulaga sila dahil based on their assessment, akala nila aalis ang tropa,” he said.

He identified Barangay Gawahon as a key mobility corridor previously used by the now-dismantled Northern Negros Front, with remaining insurgents reportedly attempting to regroup and resume extortion activities.

The firefight lasted for about five minutes, and no government casualties were reported.

Some households were temporarily affected but have since begun returning to their homes, according to Samoza.

The NPA has claimed a series of killings in northern Negros since March, with victims allegedly tagged as military informants—an accusation military officials have strongly denied.

On Sept. 4, troops from the 94th Infantry Battalion also clashed with NPA rebels in Barangay Tan-awan, Kabankalan City, displacing more than 100 families.