Lacson backs Army, calls Toboso clash legitimate

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has backed the Philippine Army in its anti-insurgency operations, saying the April 19 encounter in Toboso town was a legitimate military operation.

Lacson said the Army could not have carried out the operation without information from the community.

“Clearly, the community itself helped guide the Army in running after their targets,” he said.

He stressed that the public should not question the military’s actions and should instead recognize the sacrifices soldiers make to keep communities peaceful and secure.

“We appreciate every day that they (soldiers) are out there sacrificing their lives so that we can live freely and peacefully,” Lacson said.

He also cited survey results showing that 96 percent of residents feel the province is peaceful and free, adding that this should be attributed in part to the sacrifices of uniformed personnel.

Lacson called on insurgents to surrender their weapons if they truly want peace.

“If you want to talk about peace, the first thing to do is to lay down your arms,” he said, referring to the New People’s Army.

While an investigation into the encounter is already underway in the province, Lacson said he personally would not call for a separate probe because he trusts the Army’s account that the encounter with the NPA was legitimate.

The series of encounters in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, last month led to the deaths of 19 suspected NPA rebels while government troops were pursuing the group of alleged notorious hitman Roger Fabillar Tapang, commander of the dismantled Northern Negros Front. (AFP)

Tapang was among the fatalities, which also included a community journalist, two Filipino-Americans and a student leader who were reported to be on an immersion when the firefight erupted.

Only 10 of the fatalities were claimed by the Communist Party of the Philippines as combatants, while nine were claimed to be civilians. (Inquirer.net)

The Philippine Army, however, maintained that those killed were armed NPA rebels, citing the recovery of firearms from the encounter site. (AFP)

Meanwhile, the Negros Association of Chief Executives acknowledged and recognized the broader social implications of the recent armed encounter involving troops of the 79th Infantry Battalion and the NPA.

“This terrible loss cuts through the hearts of every Filipino, especially our dear Negrosanons,” the group said in a statement.

The Negros-ACE strongly urged the NPA and its cadres to abandon armed struggle and called on all parties involved to pursue constructive means to address grievances and work with the Philippine government to resolve long-standing issues of social injustice, inequality and marginalization through democracy and participatory governance.

“The loss of life is too high a price to pay for peace and social equality in our country,” it said.

The group also recognized that issues of social injustice and inequality remain legitimate concerns that must be addressed and acted upon with genuine intention.

These challenges require urgent and sustained action, and the government remains equipped and committed to respond through lawful, inclusive and democratic processes, provided all sectors are willing to engage in good faith.

The group called on all communities to choose healing over retaliation, unity over division and compassion over violence.

“Let this moment not deepen conflict but instead serve as a turning point toward understanding and lasting peace,” it stated.

The Negros-ACE extended its deepest sympathies to all families affected by the incident and reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to peace, unity and stability in the Negros Island Region.

“The safety and protection of our citizens remain our paramount concern,” it said.

On the other hand, third district Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez announced on social media Sunday that he will no longer push a resolution he earlier filed for an inquiry in aid of legislation, intended as a fact-finding measure related to the clash, citing multiple investigations now underway by the proper authorities, including the Commission on Human Rights and relevant government agencies.

Benitez, in a statement, said the right course is to let these processes run their full course without political interference.

Justice is best served by institutions doing their work, not by Congress getting ahead of them, he added.

He stressed that peace in Negros will not be won by force alone, as people need two things in equal measure: protection and new sources of livelihood.

“Where there is no opportunity, despair grows. And despair is what the insurgency feeds on. We have seen this pattern across generations,” he said.

Benitez said the insurgency in Negros is not an abstraction debated in Manila or argued about online.

“It is a daily reality our farmers, teachers, and local officials live with,” he added.

He said the province needs stronger security where it is needed and serious investments in agriculture, tourism, creative industries and education — the things that give young people a real future and leave no opening for any movement that promises them otherwise.

“Let us choose peace. Let us seek truth. Let us heal together. And let us hold sacred the dignity of every Negrosanon, soldier and civilian alike,” he added.