We are sitting on a social volcano, which could erupt anytime.

Bishop Fortrich on the state of politics and society in Negros Island

In this week alone, three people were killed once more in Dumaguete City.

As the pandemic exacerbated towards the end of April, nine people were shot dead via riding-in-tandem in Negros Oriental in a span of only nine days, including famed journalist and radio broadcaster Rex “Cornelio” Pepino, who often covered controversial stories about environmental issues that plagued the island such as the Tanjay Black Sand Mining and issues concerning poor governance, graft & corruption. A local newspaper reported last August 22, 2020 that the former bodyguard of Gov. Degamo, PEMS Reuel Piñero, has been tagged as a person of interest in his murder.

Throughout the succeeding months, dozens more shootings would soon follow with more than 20 cases of phantom shootings by vigilantes on top of motorcycles, despite a ban on back-riding except for couples. On top of this, two individuals were found to have washed on shore dead after mysteriously disappearing for a few days in August 2020.

Although some of the murders that have occurred on the island are said to be conspired by state authorities, such as the murder of human rights activist & health worker Zara Alvarez and two civilians being killed shortly after being redtagged by the 62nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, the rest are still under investigation, with broad speculations upon the killing of civilians with no discernible pattern.

Nonoy Espina, a veteran journalist and chairman of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, remarks (although he states he really cannot state) that he believes there is a general breakdown in law and order that could be inspired by Oplan Sauron and subsequent killings believed to be carried out by state agents.

“Operation Sauron” is an intensified campaign of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) that aims to beef-up the two state authority agencies’ campaign against suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Negros Island. Human Rights groups in the area have decried the operation, stating that widespread violence, including the murder of more than 90 innocent farmers, lawyers, advocates, civilians, and politicians, as well as locking up 76 political prisoners.

The impunity in such murders tends to embolden others to settle scores violently, believing that they too can get away with it.

Nonoy Espina on the rampant shootings in Negros Island

Meanwhile, Alisandra Abadia from Kabataan Para Sa Karaptan–Negros Oriental believes that a general culture of impunity and vast economic disparities plays a significant role in the widespread “tokhang-style” killings in the island. She believes that those on the upper ranks of society, typically politicians & the ruling class, utilize vigilantes to carry out their dirty work and ensure their hold on power.

Abadia also added that Memorandum Order 32 has allowed “private armies” on the island to acquire more arms on the island.

Mapapaisip ka nga eh kung yung sinasabi nilang “killed by NPA” ay gawa talaga ng NPA o gawa ba ito ng military/political goons tapos sisihin ang NPA (It makes you think when they say “killed by NPA” is really perpetrated by the NPA or if it is done by military/political goons and afterwards, conveniently blamed on the NPA)

Abaida on the rampant shootings in Negros Island

The Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform in Negros Oriental, in their report on the situation on Negros Island last September 2019, that Negros is an island of private armies, and that the annual phenomenon of “Tiempo Muerto”, wherein vast amounts of sugar workers are unemployed, leads to many marred in poverty and some attracted towards “vigilante” work.