Nineteen suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed in a series of encounters with government troops in Toboso, Negros Occidental, the Philippine Army (PA) confirmed on Monday, April 20.

The clashes involved troops from the 79th Infantry (Masaligan) Battalion under the 303rd Infantry (Brown Eagle) Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) who engaged alleged remnants of the Northern Negros Front, Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros (NNF, KR-N) in Brgy. Salamanca around 3:58 a.m. on April 19, said PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala.

“Confirmed [19],” Dema-ala told the Manila Bulletin when asked to verify the number of fatalities in the military’s operations in Negros against the communist insurgents.

The rebel group was led by Roger Fabillar, also known as Arnel Tapang and Jhong, who is wanted for multiple killings, with authorities linking his group to violent incidents in Toboso, Calatrava, and Escalante City. A P1 million bounty has been offered for his arrest.

The PA has not released the identities of those killed as of writing. It also did not disclose whether there were casualties on the government side.

The clashes reportedly began on April 18.The latest fighting forms part of ongoing counterinsurgency operations in Negros Island, which has long been a hotspot of communist rebel activity.

The NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has been waging one of Asia’s longest-running insurgencies since 1969. Government forces have intensified operations in recent years following a national push to dismantle guerrilla fronts across the country.

The Army said the April 19 encounter was not an isolated incident. A day earlier, troops from the 15th Infantry Battalion also figured in a firefight with suspected remnants of the Southwest Front (Dismantled) Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros in Sitio Lomboy, Brgy. Caliling, Cauayan, Negros Occidental.

Around 366 residents were displaced by the clashes, Toboso Mayor Richard Jaojoco said in a Facebook post.