BACOLOD CITY - The Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) of Calatrava in Negros Occidental has initiated actions to address the series of fatal shooting incidents perpetrated by the New People's Army (NPA) in its remote villages in the past month.

These killings are believed to have been carried out by the remnants of the dismantled Northern Negros Front (NNF) led by Roger Fabellar alias "Arnel Tapang" or "Jhong," a resident of Sitio Malig-on, Barangay Bandila in the neighboring Toboso town.

Lt. Col. J-jay Javines, commanding officer of the Philippine Army's 79th Infantry Battalion (79IB), said on Monday their unit is closely working with the local government to stop the shooting incidents that have already claimed the lives of three persons, among them village chief Benjamin Javoc of Barangay Lalong.

"I made some recommendations for consolidated and aggressive actions of all barangay captains to monitor the presence of armed rebels in their area and to increase the bounty for the arrest of Fabellar," he added.

The 79IB has offered an initial bounty of PHP100,000 to anyone who can provide vital information that would lead to Fabellar's arrest.

Witnesses saw Fabellar enter the residence of the Javoc family during the shooting early morning on Aug. 26.

Javines said that during the special meeting of the MPOC on Sept. 2, he presented an update on the insurgency situation of Calatrava.

During the meeting, Mayor Marilyn Era directed the Calatrava Municipal Police Station headed by Maj. Lumyaen Lidawan to intensify security efforts through increased police visibility and checkpoint operations in key areas.

She also instructed the police to closely collaborate with the Philippine Army and other concerned agencies to put an end to the killings.

"The shooting incidents are being investigated and authorities are after the culprits," the mayor said.

Meanwhile, troops of 79IB also conducted forums in Sitio Huwebesan, Barangay Marcelo, and Sitio Victory in Barangay Minapasuk last week to help residents counter the recruitment and infiltration activities of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the NPA.

"The attainment of an insurgency-free community requires a collective effort. The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police cannot do it alone. I encouraged everyone to help the government's effort to put an end to the decades-long insurgency and bring justice to the innocent civilians," Javines said.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

The National Democratic Front has also been formally designated as a terrorist organization by the Anti-Terrorism Council on June 23, 2021, citing it as "an integral and inseparable part" of the CPP-NPA created in April 1973. (PNA)