‘We didn’t know’ 15-Year-Old Girl among killed in deadly Negros Clash

Toboso, Negros Occidental — A 15-year-old girl was among the 19 individuals slain in the April 19 armed encounter between government troops and the New People's Army in Toboso, Negros Occidental, according to findings from an ongoing fact-finding and relief mission led by national former rebels federation Buklod Kapayapaan.

During the mission, a family came forward to claim the body of their daughter, identified as Jolinda Gimena, a resident of Toboso. The family wished to remain anonymous as of this time.

Speaking with the Buklod Kapayapaan team, Jolinda’s mother said they had not heard from her since January, let alone that she had joined the NPA.

“Wala mi kabalo, (We didn't know)” was all Jolinda's mother could say when asked whether she knew that her daughter had been involved with the NPA.

‘Laagan’

According to relatives, Jolinda had been working with them in a kampo (makeshift camp) in an hacienda. Earlier this year, she told her family she was planning to leave for Cebu to work. Shortly after, she left home without notice and did not disclose where and what her employment was.

Her parents said they had no knowledge of any activities beyond her work in the hacienda. They described her as “lagaan,” or someone who would always go out with her friends, even without their permission.

Jolinda’s grandmother recounted the fear that gripped their community during the clash, which forced residents to evacuate.

“We were very scared during the gunfight,” she said. “We even evacuated with others. We did not know that my granddaughter was already among those killed.”

Sad reality

Arian Jane Ramos, spokesperson of Buklod Kapayapaan, described the incident as reflective of broader concerns about recruitment practices within armed groups.

“This is a sad reality inside the armed movement. The NPA does not care whether their members are underage. For them, there is a need for manpower to carry firearms,” Ramos said.

She added that such practices are not isolated. “In Southern Mindanao, where I served as a secretary in a guerrilla front, this practice was common across different fronts in the region, especially in the Lumad (indigenous peoples) communities,” she said.

Ramos also called for accountability. “While we mourn the death of a minor in an armed encounter, we must also demand accountability from the Communist Front of the Philippines, the New People’s Army and organizations that continue to promote armed struggle as a path to societal change,” she added.