MIRANDA
Mayor Benjie Miranda denounced the recent killing of a 74-year-old woman by the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay Tapi, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.
In a radio interview, Miranda expressed deep sorrow over the killing and said he even helped repair the victim's home after an encounter.
Miranda said that the city government does not condone violence. “Killing is never a solution. It only brings unbearable pain to the family left behind,” he said.
He added that the local government remains open to assisting those who choose to return to the fold of the law to achieve the city’s goal of lasting peace. “We do not discriminate because we want an insurgency-free city,” he said.
The mayor expressed concern that such incidents could create fear, particularly among potential investors. “I hope there will be no more hatred. We must learn to forgive and help one another for the progress of our city,” Miranda said.
The Armando Sumayang Jr. Command-NPA Southwest Negros Guerilla Front claimed responsibility for the killing of Leonora Anguit for being a military informant.
They alleged that Anguit informed troops about their presence in Barangay Tapi that led to an encounter in April 2025 where seven rebels were killed.
The NPA also owned up to the killings of five civilians accused of being military informants in Kabankalan City last year.