A rebel leader wanted for multiple killings in northern Negros was killed during an armed encounter with the Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso town, Negros Occidental, on Sunday, April 19.
Brigadier General Ted Dumosmog, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, confirmed on Monday, April 20, that Roger Fabillar, alias Arnel Tapang—a high-ranking rebel who had been evading justice for years—was among those killed in the firefight.
Fabillar had a P1 million bounty on his head for his alleged involvement in the killings of at least 36 civilians since 2022, in Toboso, Calatrava, and the neighboring city of Escalante.
Dumosmog also reported that NPA fatalities from the encounter have exceeded 10, with the number possibly rising as authorities continue to account for casualties.
This was the first official information released, following earlier, unofficial reports of 19 casualties reported by the military-run news platform Kalinaw News.
Dumosmog said the fatalities were later recovered in a sub-village about three kilometers from the initial encounter site in Sitio Sinugmawan. High-powered firearms, ammunition, and other personal belongings were also recovered at the encounter site.
He added that the group belonged to the Northern Negros Front (NNF) of the NPA, a guerrilla front previously declared dismantled by the government.
Authorities now consider those killed as remnants of the once-active front.
Meanwhile, the fierce fighting triggered a mass evacuation of more than 600 individuals, who sought refuge in evacuation centers, according to town mayor Richard Jaojoco.
Authorities initially scheduled a press briefing for 10 am on Monday, but postponed it to a later date and time due to ongoing retrieval operations.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, contributes to Negros Daily Bulletin, and maintains a blog on Medium.