The New People’s Army (NPA) has claimed responsibility for two separate killings in Central Negros within a week, including the fatal shooting of a sugarcane farmer in Binalbagan and a 39-year-old resident of Moises Padilla in another attack.
In a statement, the Romeo Nanta Command of the NPA said its members carried out the February 17 shooting in Sitio Sulbod, Barangay Santol, Binalbagan town, killing a sugarcane farmer identified as alias “Rey” and injuring another individual known as alias “Noy.”
The group alleged that Rey served as a military asset and organized an intelligence network in the barangay.
It also claimed that he encouraged residents to provide information in exchange for money.
The Binalbagan Municipal Police Station reported that the victims were clearing rocks from the road to allow a truck to pass when armed suspects suddenly approached and opened fire.
In a separate statement, the NPA also claimed responsibility for killing Remund Francisco Nuevo, alias “Pato,” 39, a resident of Sitio Tiguisan, Barangay Montilla, Moises Padilla town.
Gunmen shot Nuevo near the boundary of Barangay Puso in La Castellana and Sitio Natuling, Barangay Budlasan in Canlaon City on February 11, 2026.
Authorities later found his body in a river within the jurisdiction of Barangay Puso, La Castellana, at around 2pm on February 12.
In its statement, the NPA accused Nuevo of being a member of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU), serving as an alleged intelligence asset of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and committing abuses.
Police report revealed that Nuevo, along with his live-in partner and their child, went to Sitio Banderahan, Barangay Budlasan, Canlaon City, to deliver chickens.
While they were heading home, five armed men approached and shot him. Nuevo tried to escape, but the armed men chased him until he collapsed from his gunshot wounds, the report added.
Meanwhile, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) earlier condemned what it described as a pattern of civilian killings in Negros linked to alleged “spy-tagging.”
Ernesto C. Torres Jr., executive director of the task force, said the killings followed a pattern in which individuals were labeled as informants and later killed.
The anti-communist group cited records from 2025 to the present documenting multiple civilian killings that the NPA claimed, in which the victims were tagged as informants prior to their deaths, including Elberto Ancero Lubon, Cirilo Llena, Efren Solinap, Jonhee Montoya, Rickne Daipal, Jury Gane, Leonardo Nepalar, Jobert Alsado, Elias Palay, Jesmar Pacunla, Isagani Imalay, Enrique Bertucio, Jonestly Vallente Sr., Jessie Tinggab, Johnny Boy Dela Fuente, Jerry Emia, Joshua Rabor, Anecito Mahinay, Danny “Gamay” Francisco, Maricel Pantajo, Ariel Calumboy, Joamie Peralta, Danilo Inglatera, Emong Kantala, Michael Robel, and Leonora Anguit.
The task force urged law enforcement agencies and local government units to strengthen protection mechanisms in communities and pursue cases involving the killing of civilians.*
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.