A series of firefights between the AFP and the NPA has resulted in the deaths of 7 rebels. The AFP says this should be a wake up call to the remnants.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1248864 |
Military officials urged remnants of the New People’s Army in Negros Island to surrender as the communist-terrorist group suffered a major blow following the death of seven cadres in a clash with government troops in Negros Occidental on Sunday.
“This operation should serve as a wake-up call to those who still choose to support or join the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA). We will relentlessly pursue and neutralize all armed rebels. The door to peace remains open, surrender while you still have the chance,” Maj. Gen. Michael Samson, commander of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (ID), said in a statement.
The series of firefights, which took place between 5:30 a.m. and 6:50 a.m. in the hinterlands of Barangay Tapi, Kabankalan City, claimed the lives of Reniel Locsin Cellon, Mary Jane Maguilat, Jhon Isidor Supelanas, and a certain “Pitong,” all from the NPA Southwest Front, as well as Jhunrey Mejares, Glendel Tinio Mejares, and Charity Amacan, from the Southeast Front.
Both rebel fronts have been previously declared as dismantled by the Philippine Army.
According to a report of the 3ID, troops from the 11th, 15th, and 47th Infantry Battalions (IBs) clashed with the NPA remnants after learning of their presence from the locals.
After the gunbattle, they recovered six M16 rifles, one of these equipped with an M203 grenade launcher, and a KG9 submachine gun.
Brig. Gen. Joey Escanillas, commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade based in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental, lauded the troops for carrying out the successful counter-terrorism operation without casualties on the government side.
“This operation is vital in safeguarding the local populace, and its success exemplifies their dedication and skill,” he added.
Escanillas said the cooperation and support of the community was also instrumental to the victory.
“We urge the public to remain vigilant and continue cooperating with our forces to bring an end to the local communist armed conflict,” he said.
In a separate statement, Lt. Gen. Fernando Reyeg, commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Visayas Command, said the troops delivered another major blow to the CPP-NPA, further weakening its forces and bringing the Visayas closer to achieving stability and security.
“We will continue to press on the fight to end the local communist armed conflict in the Visayas. As such, we call on the few remaining members of the terrorist group to lay down their arms and return to the fold of the law,” he added.
Incredibly enough the AFP engaged in clashes with a dismantled front. Clearly dismantled does not necessarily mean dismantled.
Two of the slain NPA rebels were actually top leaders.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1249126 |
Two top cadres of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) killed in a recent encounter with Philippine Army troops in Kabankalan City were wanted for several counts of murder, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) confirmed on Wednesday.
Reniel Locsin Cellon, former commander of Southwest Front, had four outstanding arrest warrants for murder and direct assault while Charity Amacan, former secretary of Southeast Front, faced 11 arrest warrants for murder.
Cellon and Amacan died with five of their comrades in a clash with soldiers from the 11th, 15th, and 47th Infantry Battalions in the hinterlands of Barangay Tapi last Sunday.
“The cases against them are now classified as solved, bringing long-awaited justice to their victims through their identification and neutralization,” the NOCPPO said in a statement.
Another fatality, Mary Jane Maguilat, had an outstanding warrant for violation of the Commission on Elections gun ban for the May 2013 elections.
The NOCPPO is also conducting a validation process to determine existing criminal records of the other neutralized personalities identified as Jhon Isidor Supelanas, Jhunrey Mejares, Glendel Tinio Mejares, and an individual identified only as “Pitong".
“The NOCPPO remains committed to supporting the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the campaign against insurgency and to maintaining peace, order, and security throughout the province.”
Army soldiers of the 79th Infantry Battalion brought home the remains of Amacan, 61, to her next of kin in Barangay Malasibog, Escalante City on Monday.
“Our duty as soldiers extends beyond the battlefield. We hope that this simple act of compassion brings a measure of comfort to the family during this painful time,” 79IB commander Lt. Col. Arnel Calaoagan said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the 3rd Infantry Division reported that Marcel Camangyan Anguit, the civilian wounded during the clash, is recovering at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital here.
“We regret that a civilian was injured during the encounter and we are ensuring that he receives the best possible medical care. We also extend our deepest condolences to the families of those killed regardless of their affiliations,” 3ID commander Maj. Gen. Michael Samson said in a separate statement.
So much for the leaderless NPA. It is too bad a civilian was wounded but why was he there? Where was this battlefield.
This clash happened just weeks before the coming election.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1249221 |
Government troops of the 62nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army clashed with suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in three separate incidents in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental on Thursday.
Lt. Col. Evelio Ilanga, commanding officer of the 62IB, told the Philippine News Agency that the initial clash occurred around 6 a.m. in Barangay Humay-humay, where soldiers encountered about nine remnants of the dismantled Central Negros 1 (CN1) guerrilla front.
A brief three-minute firefight ensued before the insurgents retreated.
The soldiers recovered one high-powered firearm, some live rounds of ammunition, magazines, and personal belongings that were left behind by the suspected NPA rebels.
Ilanga said that pursuit operations led to two more brief skirmishes with the same group later that day at separate locations. He refused to give further details.
He assured the public that the military is working to prevent any disruption by the NPA during the upcoming elections, particularly in Guihulngan City.
Based on the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) classification of election hotspots, Guihulngan City and La Libertad are currently under the red category—the highest level—due to the presence of armed groups.
Basay has been placed under the orange category, while the remaining 22 towns and cities in Negros Oriental are classified under the yellow category.
The AFP says they are "working to prevent any disruption by the NPA during the upcoming elections." Meanwhile the Comelec says the NPA poses no threat to Negros elections.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1248953 |
Despite recent armed clashes, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Island Region (NIR) has assured the public that there are no indications that the New People's Army (NPA) has the capability to disrupt the May 12 elections in Negros.
Comelec-NIR Director Lionel Marco Castillano made the assurance on Monday following an encounter between government troops and suspected NPA members in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental over the weekend, where seven suspected ranking NPA members were killed by forces from the 11th, 15th, and 47th Infantry Battalions of the Philippine Army.
“We have received assurances from both the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army that, as of now, there is no evidence suggesting the NPA intends to disrupt the elections,” Castillano said.
He also relayed that communication with the provincial election supervisor of Negros Occidental confirmed that, based on reports from the Kabankalan City election officer, “no voting centers were affected by the recent encounter.”
Castillano noted that while the clashes were primarily part of the government’s ongoing counter-insurgency efforts and not directly related to the elections, they serve as a testament to the Philippine Army’s continued vigilance.
“This proactive stance also provides us with added assurance that we can expect a peaceful and orderly election day, free from any untoward incidents,” he said.
During the NIR Regional Joint Security Control Center (RJSCC) meeting held on Friday afternoon in Sibulan, Negros Oriental, high-ranking officials from the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police assured that sufficient personnel will be deployed to ensure election security and to respond to potential disaster scenarios, particularly in the event of an Alert Level 4 eruption of Mt. Kanlaon on or before election day.
The NPA might not intend to disrupt the elections but there is a possibility they could. In any case they still remain a threat. Dismantled or not.
Despite past statements that the NPA is leaderless and unable to recruit the AFP is still combating NPA recruitment. The motive being that one of the 7 killed in the Negros clash was a former UP-Cebu student leader.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1249290 |
The top official of the Philippine Army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade (IB) in Negros Island enjoined parents and those engaging the youth to support the campaign against the recruitment of students to join the armed struggle.
302IB commander Brig. Gen. Joey Escanillas issued the call on Friday in the wake of the April 27 encounter between government troops and remnants of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, which claimed the lives of seven rebels, among them Jhon Isidor “Dee” Supelanas, 26, a former student leader at University of the Philippines-Cebu.
In a statement, Escanillas said parents need to monitor their children’s activities in schools as they may have already been deceived by communist-terrorists.
“Let us stand and unite to stop the recruitment of the youth in the urban centers. Our lines are open to help you earn justice by filing cases against the recruiters. We need your help because we cannot do this alone,” he said.
Escanillas noted that there are still young people who join the NPA in the countryside after being deceived by twisted ideology.
“Dee’s death is a result of the communist-terrorist group’s deceitful and manipulative tactics. We must unequivocally condemn the brutality and cruelty of this terrorist organization and hold them accountable for their actions. Their callous disregard for human life is abhorrent,” he said.
Despite this, the 302IB commander said the people should stand with the Supelanas family and respect the solemnity of the passing of the former student leader, whom he described as “a victim whose family deserves compassion during this difficult time.”
In the past years, several student leaders from Cebu also died in various encounters with government troops in Negros Island.
They included Rachelle Mae Palang, 22, nursing graduate at Velez College killed in a clash in Negros Oriental on Sept. 18, 2008; Nikka De la Cruz, 26, journalism graduate at University of San Jose-Recoletos, killed in a clash in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental on July 6, 2022; and Cheene Dacalos, 30, former student at UP Cebu, killed in a clash in Ilog, Negros Occidental on Sept. 14, 2021.
“Futile cause claimed many lives. They were deceived by communist-terrorist group organizers and sectoral front organizations operating in urban centers,” the Army official said.
Escanillas urged the young people enticed to join the armed struggle to reevaluate their choices.
“The problems of the society cannot be resolved by armed struggle or by violent means. Rather, positive advocacy is one of the many solutions to address the social ills in the country. Lay down your weapons and embrace the future of harmony and progress,” he said.
If people are still joining then the AFP should not say they NPA cannot conduct recruitment activities due to lack of leadership.
For the moment amnesty is still a path former rebels can still tread. In Samar 30 ex-rebels have been approved for amnesty.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1249267 |
At least 30 applications for amnesty have been endorsed by the Local Amnesty Board (LAB) in Catbalogan City, Samar for resolution by the national government.
It was the result of the continuing case conferences of LAB Catbalogan members from different agencies since last year.
Endorsed LAB resolutions will be forwarded to the National Amnesty Commission (NAC) executive committee before the final resolution by the en banc.
“Resolutions will then be submitted to the Office of the President. Only the President of the Republic of the Philippines has the authority to grant or deny amnesty,” LAB Catbalogan said in a statement Friday.
Since the government started accepting amnesty applications in December 2024, at least 378 former members of the New People’s Army from the three Samar provinces submitted their applications to LAB Catbalogan.
Members of LAB Catblogan include Samar provincial police office director Col. Eric Antonieto Mendoza, Golda Meir Tabao representing LAB Chairperson Governor Sharee Ann Tan, Regional Prosecutor Irwin Maraya, Provincial Prosecutor Luz Lampasa representing the Department of Justice-National Prosecution Service, Army 801st Brigade Deputy Brigade commander Col. Carmelito Pangatungan, and lawyers from the Public Attorney’s Office.
Through amnesty, the government is giving the former rebels opportunity to make their lives better, NAC said.
Crimes classified as acts of rebellion fall under amnesty coverage, while private offenses such as rape are excluded.
Under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s Proclamation 404, also known as the Amnesty Program, former members and current members of the communist insurgents have until March 14, 2026 to submit their applications.
The program is not limited to NPA rebels but extends to members of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front.
These people will never be held accountable for their crimes.
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