Rival communist factions battle it out in Negros

Two rival communist groups have been battling it out in the hinterlands of Negros Occidental. These skirmishes left several people wounded, including someone who purportedly claimed to be a member of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade.

The latest skirmish between the two groups happened in Sitio Tinibyangan, Barangay Minapasok in Calatrava Tuesday. The gunbattle lasted for half an hour, according to RPA spokesman Victorino Sumulong.

A week earlier, on July 31, the two rival groups also engaged in a gunbattle in Barangay Mechanca, also in Calatrava. Adelaida Simeon, a civilian, was caught in the crossfire and sustained gunshot wounds.

Sumulong claimed that the Tuesday gunfight resulted in the wounding of several New People’s Army members. There was no independent confirmation of this.

Provincial PNP chief Charles Calima said only one was confirmed wounded in the Tuesday encounter. Calixto Ubas, 37, of Sitio Tinibyangan, was rushed to the Sagay district hospital. He was later transferred to the Jose Locsin Memorial Hospital in Silay City.

Although Ubas claimed to be an RPA-ABB member, Carapali Lualhati, RPA-ABB chief, denied this. He also discounted that the RPA-ABB had a member wounded in the encounter with the band of 35 NPA rebels.

Ubas reportedly owns a house adjacent to the unoccupied hut where the NPA fighters had reportedly stayed before the skirmish.

Soldiers, who rushed to the encounter site, recovered an M-16 rifle and nine combat packs. These were reportedly left behind by the NPA band, according to Lt. Col. Jess Manangquil, 11th Infantry Battalion commander.

The National Democratic Front-Negros, under renegade priest Frank Fernandez, earlier charged that the RPA-ABB was working in coordination with the military in sowing terror among the people in the hinterland barangays of Calatrava and the adjacent town of Toboso.

Sumulong claimed that the Tinibyangan residents were unhappy with the NPA exacting twice as much revolutionary taxes from them.

He charged that Fernandez’s accusation is a desperate move to isolate the RPA-ABB, which continues to grow in strength and mass support as it campaigns for peace and progress.

Earlier, the Toboso police reported that about 20 NPA guerrillas peppered with bullets the home of CAFGU member Eduardo Laguna last July 29 in Barangay Tabunak because he allegedly refused to rejoin his former comrades.

The RPA-ABB is a breakaway rebel group that was headed by assassinated former NPA leader Arturo Tabano and Nilo de la Cruz.

The group has signed a peace agreement with the government’s negotiating panel.

This is the worrisome development on Negros Island. Expectedly, people are watching for a showdown between the two communist factions.

Emily Lopez’s birthday bash

Sometimes, one gets invited to an event that cannot be shrugged off. Actually, it is three three-day celebration of Emily Lopez’s birthday. It will be from Aug. 10 to 12.

Former Rep. Albertito Lopez (second district) will grace the affair that will include thousands of children from Guimaras and the second district of Iloilo.

"I just want to share my birthday with others and make the wonderful children happier to spend this special day with me and my family," was how Emily described her plan to me over the telephone.

All day care pre-schoolers from the Iloilo towns of Pavia, Sta. Barbara, San Miguel, Leon, Alimodian, Neganes, Zarraga, and New Lucena, along with their mothers, will be her special guests. Others will be from Jordan, Buenavista, Nueva Valencia, Sibunag, and San Lorenzo, and Guimaras province, of which she was a former governor.

"The poorest of the poor from our indigent families. That is my special request," Emily explained it.

Albertito (that’s how we close friends call him) said they will course the bash through the Taos Puso Foundation which has been credited with sustained livelihood projects in Iloilo’s second district towns and in Guimaras province.

The Lopez couple will also open the Taos Puso doors to Iloilo’s Jaro and La Paz districts.

"No, Rolly, it will not be a lavish party complete with liquor and expensive food. It will just be a salo-salo," commented Emily.

Emily, who was a former congresswoman of Guimaras, reportedly has visitors from the United Nations coming from Manila who will join the fun-party.

One of the reasons for my attending the birthday bash is the invitation of former DILG director Luis Molavin, a close friend, and, of course, Albertito, the son of the late Vice President Fernando Lopez. Although there has been no linkage between the Lopez ancestors and Dr. Graciano Lopez-Jaena, the late vice president has always insisted that I was a relative. The same with Albertito.

Besides, the organizing committee of Lopez Jaena’s 150th birth anniversary this December, headed by NHI director F. Badoy, will also meet in Iloilo City, according to RDC chairwoman Antique Gov. Sally Zaldivar-Perez.

Emily stressed that there is nothing political in the bash.

Apparently that is to demolish talk in Iloilo City and in the province that Albertito, who has reportedly ceded the second district post to former Rep. Bobby Syjuco (now TESDA secretary), has reportedly been smarting with the way he and Rep. Judith have been handling the second district.

Startling Antique development

Often, one can find unexpected developments. That was the case of the recent renaming of the Canuto B. Pefianco Sr. Elementary School in San Jose, the capital town of Antique province.

The Pefianco Elementary School was formerly known as Madrangca Elementary School.

It was not just been renamed. More importantly, the school marked the launching of its new science and computer laboratory facility, the first among elementary schools nationwide. This was held on Aug. 4.

Dr. Erlinda Pefianco, director of SEAMEO Innotech, wife of Antiqueño lawyer Romeo Pefianco, formerly a ranking official of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), made the project possible in partnership with the DOST and the SEI.

"We’ll bring the project as a model in Southeast Asia," Dr. Pefianco stressed.

The school received 25 computers loaded with educational subjects and a complete set of science equipment suited for elementary pupils.

Innotech will provide all the facilities and technology. The West Visayas State University will provide the technical training for the teachers. This will include innovative ways of teaching and the integration of lessons in multimedia format to make them appealing to children.

Dr. Pefianco expressed confidence that the new facilities and equipment will help the school’s eventual conversion into a science school.

The event also brought together Gov. Perez and Rep. Exequiel Javier with San Jose Mayor Fernando Corvera and Vice Mayor J. Gabin.

"We are united," said Gov. Perez, referring to her "oneness" with Javier. Both had prior differences. But during the affair, Gov. Perez announced her approval of a budget for the concreting of a street in Madranca.

Javier, on the other hand, announced that he has allotted P25 million from his pork barrel to help propel Antique as one of the top 10 investors in human resources projects.

The affair was also attended by Dr. Zenaida Domingo of SEAMEO Innotech; Zenia Teruel, DOST regional head; Dr. Lelia Lauron of DOST-SEI; and Dr. Lelia Moraño, WVSU academic affairs vice president.

We hope that the two Antiqueño political leaders rejoin hands in a common thrust for the province — not just bury the hatchet in one event.