In response to Communist Party of the Phillipines’ (CPP) call to NPA units to mount military offensives, a unit of Roselyn Jean Pelle Command – Northern Negros Guerilla Front of the New People’s Army burned additional three (3) cane trucks owned by Teotimo ‘Tim’ Ballesteros in time of CPP’s 54th founding anniversary on December 26, 2022, minutes after 12 midnight, in Sitio Carbon, Barangay San Isidro, Toboso, Negros Occidental.

The punitive action is the second incident against class enemy Ballesteros. On December 14, the NPA sets fire to two (2) cane trucks in Barangay Tabun-ac of the same town.

READ: NPA Sanctions Big Comprador-Landlord! 2 Trucks of Tim Ballesteros, Burned Down!

Ballesteros’ sugar lands and farm workers are within the guerrilla zones of RJPC-NPA. His out-and-out disrespect to the revolutionary movement and complete disregard to his farm workers, despite their repeated calls for wage increase and benefits, makes him a legitimate target for NPA sanctions.

The series of sanctions against Ballesteros is celebrated by Negrosanons, especially by his farm workers, which was made possible with the masses’ endless support and skilful assistance.

The military action is another slap on 303IB commanding officer BGen. Inocencio Pasaporte’s and 79IB commanding officer Lt. Col. J-jay Javinez’ faces on their ‘dismantled front’ claims. Their lies are always put to question when they conduct massive combat operations as reaction to NPA presence and activities.

The reactionary government, thru its state forces, is demanding a variant of peace talks with records of grave human rights abuses. RJPC-NPA and all the revolutionary forces in northern Negros is in no way interested in GRP’s call for localized peace talks. The said variant of peace talks focus on conducting talks by armed forces with their unequal civilians, aged or retired revolutionaries.

In northern Negros, civilians are forced to abide to programs by Escalante City-based NTF-Elcac out of fear. Unarmed civilians are repeatedly forced to pose as surrenderees and attend condemnation rallies after constant visits by such reactionary forces. Under E-Clip program, they should be receiving Php60,000 on top of other benefits; but most of them receive only 5 kilos of rice, canned goods, among others.

The only peace talks the revolutionary forces in northern Negros promote is the one that addresses the wage and land issues, such as that of Tim Ballesteros. Further, the peace talks should be at a national-scale that tackles the root cause of armed conflict: genuine land reform to address landlessness, national industrialization to address unsecured jobs, among others.