MAY 3, 2026 — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has drawn a firm line: no peace talks with the New People’s Army (NPA), branding them terrorists and criminals. His rejection comes in the wake of the April 19 clash in Toboso, Negros Occidental that left 19 dead — including alleged rebels, civilians, and two American citizens — sparking investigations and international advisories.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. made his stance crystal clear: “No. I object to any peace talks with the NPA. The Filipinos are at peace. They are the ones disturbing the peace, so why should we talk to them? They’re committing crimes.” 

He stressed that engaging in negotiations would wrongly legitimize the insurgents’ cause. 

“They’re committing crimes and it’s terrorism, plain and simple. So to call for peace talks is to elevate the morality of their cause to something legitimate, which I cannot accept. Hindi ko matatanggap ‘yun (I cannot accept that),” he said.

Teodoro’s remarks came just weeks after the Toboso firefight, where the Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion clashed with NPA remnants. The military insists all 19 fatalities were armed combatants, but rights groups and families claim otherwise, pointing out that among the dead were UP student leader Alyssa Alano, community journalist RJ Ledesma, and two Filipino-American activists.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has launched an independent probe, citing “grave concern” over the high number of casualties. The Philippine Army says it is ready to face scrutiny, while local officials in Toboso passed a resolution declaring the NPA persona non grata.

The incident also drew international attention. The US Embassy in Manila confirmed that two American citizens were among the dead and issued a security advisory warning its nationals to avoid areas with heightened insurgent activity, including Leyte, Mindoro, Samar, and Negros. The advisory underscored that anyone near NPA elements faces “grave risk of arrest, injury or death.”

While Teodoro has closed the door on talks, Presidential Peace Adviser Mel Senen Sarmiento is pushing for a different approach: localized peace initiatives, reintegration programs, and amnesty for rebels willing to return to civilian life. Backed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., this strategy aims to address root causes of insurgency — poverty, inequality, and lack of opportunity — without elevating the NPA’s armed struggle to political legitimacy.

In essence, the government is doubling down on its stance that the NPA is a terrorist group, not a political movement. But the clash in Negros and the deaths of civilians and foreigners remind us that the human cost of this decades-long insurgency continues to ripple through communities, raising questions about how peace can truly be achieved.

But will rejecting talks bring lasting peace, or will it only prolong the cycle of violence in the countryside?

(Image: Department of National Defense - Philippines | Facebook)