No armed encounter transpired between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the New People’s Army (NPA) on October 17, 2023 in Sitio Nabalas 1, Barangay Canlusong, EB Magalona, Negros Occidental.

Roselyn Jean Pelle Command – Northern Negros Guerilla Front of the NPA (RJPC-NPA) reiterates the statement of the Apolinario Gatmaitan Command – Negros Island Regional Operational Command that no NPA unit is deployed at the said area and the said time of the alleged armed clash. Further, both Christian Job Vargas and Mylene Salgado, were ordinary farmers, not affiliated to RJPC-NPA in any way.

The incident was another bloody military operation of the #DiMasaligan79IB against defenseless civilians; this time, against the farmer couple and their family.

Lt. Col. J-jay Javines, 3rd Infantry Division spokesperson and former #DiMasaligan79IB Commanding Officer, and Lt. Col. Arnel Calaoagan, #DiMasaligan79IB Commanding Officer, as well as 3ID’s Commanding Officer MGen. Marion Sison, shamelessly uttered lies to cover-up their nefarious acts of targeting unarmed citizens.

Moreover, the AFP’s desperation comes after failures of their relentless massive military operations to engage, in an armed clash, the “dismantled front’s remnants and weakened forces”; in lieu, the RJPC-NPA successfully mounted an ambush recovering a number of firearms and other small operations.

Vargas and Salgado’s summary execution also served as the reactionary government and AFP’s terror campaign in Barangay Canlusong to suppress people’s clamor against the Bulk Water Project (BWP) posing a threat to residents’ lives and livelihood. Malogo River, streaming through the said village, is one of the two sources of the BWP and the source of residents’ potable water, irrigation for their rice fields and other livelihood.

RJPC-NPA is one with victims of social injustice and the reactionary government’s display of unconcern to people’s distress. People of northern Negros have suffered much from AFP and its force multipliers’ attacks since the Duterte regime up to the present fascist rule. Just yesterday, the Sagay 9 massacre was remembered and cries of justice reverberate through the island. RJPC-NPA vows to act accordingly to defend the people and attain justice.