Insurgency: Inconsistencies About NPA Strength

The CPP-NPA continues to contradict the AFP's statements about the NPA being a spent force. This new statement comes on the heels of the installation of a new AFP spokesman who reiterated the same claims.

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/inconsistencies-in-marcos-and-afp-pronouncements-about-npa-strength/

It was quite amusing to observe a few days ago how Col. Francel Margareth Padilla started her work as new spokesperson of the AFP by repeating the annual AFP announcement that the fascist military “will eliminate the New People’s Army by the end of the year.” Despite being new to the job, she already sounded like a broken record.

What was interesting, however, is the fact that she issued her statement just days after Marcos, their commander-in-chief, declared that “there are no more NPA fronts,” a claim rebuffed a few days after by Gen. Romeo Brawner who said the NPA still has “eleven weakened fronts.” To say the least, these disconnected statements reveal inconsistencies in the Marcos government’s public assessment of the state of the revolutionary armed movement, arising from contradictions in its self-serving objectives.

On the one hand, it wants to project the Philippines as “insurgency-free” in its desperate drive to entice foreign capitalists at a time of global crisis, with promises of full access to land and resources. On the other hand, it wants to justify the gargantuan and historic high budget allotted to the AFP, which mostly go to bombs, artillery shells, jet fighters, drones, jet fuel, bullets, assault weapons and other military equipment used for counterguerrilla operations.

However, it does not want to look inept and stupid for its yearly failure to attain its declaration of “crushing the NPA,” thus, they have resorted to drilling the line of “weakened NPA” and achieving “strategic victory.”

Neither declaration of “no more NPA fronts” or “eliminating the NPA by the end of the year”, however, can obscure the fact that the AFP continues to carry out an all-out strategic offensive and large-scale military operations across the country, squandering billions upon billions of pesos in a war that is bound to fail in its objectives of ending the Filipino people’s democratic resistance.

Majority of the units of the NPA have adjusted to the AFP’s tactics of large-scale military mobilization and are expanding their areas of operation and strengthening their mass base. They have adapted guerrilla tactics of concentration, shifting and dispersal to comprehensively and painstakingly carry out military work and mass work. The peasant masses, even those who were subjected to military suppression and forced to “surrender,” are elated by the return and presence of NPA units in their areas.

All in all, we anticipate steady growth during the rest of the year and succeeding period. Amid Marcos’ corruption, policies that favor foreign capitalist interests and a few big bourgeois compradors and big landlords, the Filipino people have no other recourse but to intensify their revolutionary mass movement and armed resistance.

On the one hand, there is creeping demoralization within the AFP, especially among their rank-and-file, who are well too aware of their failure to defeat the NPA and the continuing deep and wide support that the NPA enjoys among the peasant masses and people. They are further dispirited by the corruption of their higher officers who mulct and pocket millions of pesos of public funds, and by the in-fighting among the generals who are deeply loyal to rival politicians and bureaucrat capitalists. They are utterly dejected by the fact that they are used as cannon fodder to defend a rotten system while their commander-in-chief enjoy a high-style living using public money to have helicopters ferry him from concerts and late-night parties.

On the one hand, the unity of NPA Red fighters and commanders of the NPA continues to grow strong and their revolutionary moral heightens. Without expecting any material thing in return, they give all out to serve and defend the peasant masses and people.

Certainly there are inconsistencies in the AFP's pronouncements concerning the strength of the NPA. As I have pointed out before insurgency-free does not mean ZERO insurgents and the the AFP has said they will never reduce the NPA to zero but only to an insignificant number. 

But by all accounts the NPA is not growing strong at all. Regular NPA members and top leaders continue to surrender or fall. 

https://visayandailystar.com/npa-political-instructor-surrenders/

An alleged New People’s Army political instructor surrendered on Monday to Mayor Alme Rhumyla Mangilimutan and the police, following a recent encounter in Brgy. Sag-ang, La Castellana, Negros Occidental, that led to the killing of two rebels and recovery of three assorted firearms.

P/Maj. Rhojn Daryl Nigos, spokesman of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, yesterday said that the self-confessed rebel instructor, who is a woman, resides in Brgy. Linantuyan, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.

She is now under the custody of authorities, pending verification of any pending arrest warrants.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1217356

Members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) have arrested a ranking leader of the New People's Army (NPA) in Misamis Occidental.

In a statement Monday, CIDG director Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr. said the CIDG-Northern Mindanao served another arrest warrant against Matias Gaquit at the Tangub City Jail on Jan. 19.

The Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte Regional Trial Court issued on Jan. 10 the arrest warrant for murder against the suspect.

Caramat said Gaquit was already arrested by the CIDG Misamis Occidental on Jan. 4, at the Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Sr. Medical Center in Barangay Gango, Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental for murder, rebellion and frustrated homicide charges.

Gaquit is the first deputy secretary of the Guerrilla Front Sendong of the NPA's Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee, according to information from the Philippine Army's 1st Infantry Division. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1217385

Five communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels decided to return to the fold of the law in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces over the weekend.

“Police withheld their identities as requested by the surrendering rebels for security reasons,” Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg, police director for the Soccsksargen Region, said in a statement Monday.

Macaraeg said the first to surrender were three NPA members under Guerilla Front Musa, Far South Mindanao Region before operatives of the police’s 1202nd Maneuver Company, Regional Mobile Force Battalion - 12 in Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat on Sunday morning.

In the afternoon of the same day, two rebels turned themselves in to the police’s Provincial Mobile Force Company in Barangay Hanoon, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato.

The two have handed over a .38-caliber revolver and a hand grenade upon their surrender.

Macaraeg lauded the police for facilitating the peaceful surrender, which he said is an “encouraging” development.

Some NPA fighters who had previously surrendered are now being given equipment to start a small business and sacks of rice. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1217381

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), in collaboration with several non-government organizations, distributed over the weekend various livelihood equipment to six former New People’s Army (NPA) members to help them return to being productive citizens.

Victoria Natanauan, supervising labor and employment officer at DOLE-Rizal, said in a follow-up interview on Monday the unnamed beneficiaries from Barangay San Jose, Antipolo City received from the government and supportive NGOs machines to be used in operating welding shops, car wash stations and coffee shops, among others.

“The livelihood packages will enable the surrenderers to start their lives anew through income-generating activities,” she said.

Good Neighbors International Philippines, a developmental and humanitarian organization, collaborated with DOLE on the project.

Meanwhile, another surrenderer from Rizal province received a sack of rice, groceries and a cash gift from two other civil society organizations – the Advisory Council and Sinag Elite Lady Eagles Club – which have committed to helping end insurgency in the country.

Personnel of the Philippine National Police's 404th A Maneuver Company (AMC) of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 4A assisted with the turnover of livelihood packages in an undisclosed location in Barangay San Jose.

During the turnover ceremony, the former rebels expressed their gratitude to the government and civil society groups for giving them a new lease on life.

Other ex-rebels are being trained to be tour guides. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1217467

The city government of Borongan in Eastern Samar will hire former rebels as tour guides in Hebacong Sea of Clouds, its newly-developed tourist destination.

Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda said, in an interview Tuesday, that the initiative will provide livelihood opportunities to former rebels as they rebuild their lives shattered by years of armed struggle.

“Aside from sharing about the various flora and fauna in the area, former rebels have beautiful stories to tell because of their familiarization with the place. This story can be the struggle of their community that influenced their decision to join the insurgency,” Agda said.

Before their deployment, former rebels will join tour-guiding training of the city government.

Borongan City has 100 former rebels who surrendered to the authorities as of 2023.

Meanwhile authorities continue to dig up NPA arms caches.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/23/npa-weapons-found-in-samar

Police recovered a New People's Army (NPA) arms cache in Sitio Casapa, Barangay Denigpian, Dolores, Eastern Samar, on Sunday, January 21.

A former communist rebel, Bunso, informed police of the location of this weapons stash.

Lt. Col. Joy Leanza, commander, 1st Eastern Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company, said they found two rifle grenades, a hand smoke grenade, a hand fragmentation grenade, four short magazines for caliber 5.56, a long magazine for caliber 5.56, a caliber .38 revolver, and 64 bullets.

They belonged to Jovan, squad leader of Front-3 (F-3), Sub-Regional Committee (SRC), Arctic, Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC), under Carding.

These rebels operate in the northern part of Dolores to Jipapad in Eastern Samar. 

These weapons were turned over to the supply office of the 1st Eastern Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company for proper disposition. 

They will be likely be digging up these caches for years to come.