Church leaders in Negros Occidental have appealed for calm and a Christmas ceasefire in Kabankalan City, following a series of killings linked to the decades-long government–communist armed conflict.
In a joint Christmas prayer and statement titled “May CALM descend on Kabankalan,” sent to Brigada News FM on Friday, December 26, three bishops said families have been mourning lives lost on all sides of the conflict and called on both the government and the communist movement to help prevent further bloodshed.
The statement was signed by Gerardo A. Alminaza, Bishop of San Carlos; Virgilio B. Amihan Jr. of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), Diocese of Bago; and Feliciana P. Tenchavez, Bishop of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines’ (UCCP) West Visayas Jurisdiction.
“Many grieve for lives taken and blood spilled in the GRP–NDFP armed conflict,” part of the statement read, noting that fear has spread in villages amid reports and accusations of reprisals.
The church leaders cited the killing of farmer Warlita Jimenez inside her home on December 23, recalling that her husband, Joseph Jimenez, was also killed alongside National Democratic Front (NDF) peace consultant Ericson Acosta in November 2022.
The military had said their deaths resulted from an armed encounter, while an independent forensic investigation later questioned that account and alleged summary execution.
Last quarter killings
The prelates also referred to three other deaths in Kabankalan from October to December 2025—Garde Francisco, Alberto Jimenez, and Virginia Salmoren—which the New People’s Army (NPA) publicly claimed as acts of “revolutionary justice.”
They stressed that the cycle of accusations, retaliations, and killings has left ordinary civilians most affected.
“The deaths ring the pain of war,” they said.
Beyond an appeal for restraint, the church leaders renewed calls for the resumption of peace talks, saying dialogue remains essential to addressing the root causes of armed unrest.
“As Church leaders, we implore all parties to stop this on-going circle of bloodshed,” the prelates said.
“Though we cannot resolve the armed conflict immediately, we can allow for a Christmas ceasefire,” they added.*
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.