President Marcos says Samar Island is more peaceful now that the NPA has been weakened. But he is also cautious enough to admit there are still encounters.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1225152 |
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Samar Island is more peaceful now with the weakening of the New People’s Army (NPA).
In an ambush interview here Monday, the President said he had seen the progress report of the peace and order situation in Samar provinces.
He said it is “getting better and better.”
"It's not so much anymore, it's not as chaotic as it used to be and there are still encounters, but not because -- large numbers and their organization have been reduced to small groups. So, I think the progress is sufficient. And, I think we will be able to do it in the schedule that we have given ourselves," the President said.
The military earlier reported that about 1,000 communities in Eastern Visayas were influenced by the NPA before the formation of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict under the Duterte administration in 2018.
Most of the areas are in the three Samar provinces.
According to previous military pronouncements, while there are still sightings of rebels in the tri-boundaries of Samar provinces, the villagers are no longer supporting them.
The government is targeting to make all areas in Samar completely free from NPA influence within the year.
In Samar province, Governor Sharee Ann Tan said insurgency is obviously weaker in recent years with the surrender of several leaders and fighters.
“In the 2022 elections, no politician in Samar received a letter demanding for revolutionary tax. That was the first election with no attempts from NPA to collect,” Tan said in an interview.
Meanwhile, Northern Samar Governor Edwin Ongchuan asked the national government to build a circumferential road in the tri-boundaries of Samar to ensure the sustainability of anti-insurgency efforts.
"We are the last bastion of insurgency and ending insurgency is a big challenge, especially in the boundaries of three Samar provinces," he said.
The proposed road will connect the towns of Silvino Lubos and Las Navas in Northern Samar to Matuguinao in Samar and Jipapad in Eastern Samar.
Only a week before making this declaration a soldier was killed in an encounter with the NPA.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/20/soldier-killed-in-northern-samar-encounter-8th-ib-mourn-death |
The 8th Infantry “Stormtroopers” Division mourned the death of a soldier in an encounter with the New People's Army in Barangay Lourdes, Las Navas, Northern Samar, on May 16.
Corporal Isagani Balmes from the 19th Infantry Battalion and a Taft, Eastern Samar native, died from fatal injuries during the 15-minute encounter.
Balmes led the Community Support Program which facilitated the provision of essential services to the community.
Major Gen. Camilo Ligayo, commander of the 8th ID, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of an outstanding soldier.
Ligayo highlighted Balmes' unwavering dedication and service in the quest for peace in Eastern Visayas.
“The Philippine Army extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Corporal Balmes. His heroism and dedication will never be forgotten,” Ligayo said.
Though the NPA is weakened in Samar that does not mean they are not a threat.
The same goes for Negros. Despite the AFP claiming to have dismantled most of the fronts there are still remnants wandering around. One NPA remnant was recently killed in Central Negros.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1225232 |
A remnant of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed during an encounter with troops of the Philippine Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) in a remote village of Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental Tuesday morning.
In a report, the 62IB identified the fatality as Richard “Rocky” De la Peña, 50, from the dismantled Central Negros 1 guerrilla front.
First Lt. Mary Liza De Guzman, civil-military operations officer of 62IB, said in a statement that De la Peña died during a 10-minute clash that took place around 7 a.m. in Sitio Inangaw, Barangay Quintin Remo.
The soldiers launched focused military operations following reports of civilians about the presence of NPA remnants conducting extortion and forced recruitment, she added.
After the encounter, the troops recovered the body of De la Peña along with an M16 rifle, three magazines with live ammunition, a bandolier, and subversive documents.
According to the 62IB, De la Peña was involved in various crimes and human rights violations, among these the murder of Albert Navaro Goles, whom the NPA accused of being a military informant, last April 24.
It was also reported he was in the company of Marivic “Ivan” Ebarle, a communist rebel killed in an encounter on July 20, 2023, at Sitio Kawayanan, Barangay Montilla, Moises Padilla.
In a separate statement, Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, commended the operating troops and the locals of Barangay Quintin Remo for their concerted efforts that led to the neutralization of the NPA remnant and the recovery of a high-powered firearm.
“Our peace and security efforts in Negros will persist even as the achievement of a stable internal peace and security environment for all Negrenses is at hand. This is an integral part of our sustainment strategy to prevent any attempts at recovery and resurgence by the dismantled guerrilla fronts of the NPA,” he added.
Another NPA remnant was killed in Northern Negros.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1225416 |
A remnant of the dismantled Northern Negros Front of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed in a clash with joint government troops in Barangay Cambayobo, Calatrava, Negros Occidental Wednesday afternoon.
The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), in a report on Thursday, identified the fatality as Jeje Redobles, whose body the government troops recovered from the encounter site.
Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, commander of the 3ID, lauded the troops of the 79 Infantry Battalion and their counterparts from the Philippine National Police 1st Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force for the successful joint enhanced military and police operations.
“This unity is evident in the series of encounters where information from local residents plays a crucial role in our combat operations, especially in locating and hitting the remnants of the communist-terrorist group with precision,” he added.
Sison renewed his call for the remaining NPA rebels in Negros to return to the fold of the law.
“Surrender now while you still have time. Negros is no longer a safe refuge for you,” he added.
Redobles died during a 10-minute firefight between government troops and seven NPA remnants in Sitio Manaysay just before 4 p.m., the 3ID report said.
During the clearing operation, the soldiers and police officers recovered weapons, including an M16 rifle, hand grenade, and magazines containing ammunition, along with subversive documents, medicines, food items, and personal belongings
In Northern Negros the NPA remains very active having killed several civilians in the past few weeks. The Army is partnering with LGUs to strengthen their alliance for peace.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1225307 |
The municipality of Calatrava and the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Negros Occidental have strengthened their alliance for peace in the wake of the series of killings perpetrated by the New People's Army (NPA) in the northern Negros locality.
First Lt. Dan Carlo Samoza, civil-military operations officer of 79IB, said on Wednesday that Mayor Marilyn Era, who chairs the Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF-ELCAC), condemns the atrocities of the remnants of the NPA.
“This is a manifestation of the mayor’s sincerity of protecting her constituents in line with her mandate as the head of the municipality’s TF-ELCAC,” he told the Philippine News Agency.
This year alone, five persons were killed by NPA assailants in Calatrava, as admitted by the communist terrorist group in their public pronouncements; the latest was Alexander Alquizar, a village watchman of Barangay Lagaan, who was gunned down on April 20.
In a meeting at the municipal hall on May 20, Era expressed her condemnation as she also appealed for the remaining NPA rebels in Calatrava to surrender to the authorities.
“I personally condemn the killing incidents that happened in my municipality without a valid reason. I am pleading to my brothers on the other side to please come and join the government that is ready to help you,” the mayor said.
First Lt. Kenn Brian Adesas of the 79IB, Lt. Artus Escuadra of the Calatrava Municipal Police Station, and representatives of other government agencies attended the meeting to assure the NPA remnants of support for their reintegration to their respective communities once they decide to surrender.
In a statement, Lt. Col. Arnel Calaoagan, commander of 79IB, welcomed the mayor’s condemnation of the killings and her call on the communist rebels to surrender.
“This is a manifestation of our strong alliance towards the same goal and shared aspiration of making Calatrava a haven of peace and progress. We will remain steadfast in our commitment and support to the local government units to once and for all decimate this terror group,” he added.
The NPA also remains active in Mindanao. Two NPA rebels were slain in an encounter in South Cotabato.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1225400 |
Two communist New People's Army (NPA) rebels were killed as authorities served an arrest warrant against one of them in T'boli, South Cotabato on Thursday.
Maj. Gen. Alex Rillera, Army's 6th Infantry Division chief, said one of the soldiers backing up the local police was wounded when the suspects resisted and traded shots with law enforcers at about 10 a.m. in Barangay Talcon.
Citing a report from the Army's 5th Special Forces Battalion, Rillera, also the head of Joint Task Force Central, identified the slain rebels as Yasser Catacutan and Eizar Emam.
"Police and military forces were to serve an arrest warrant for Catacutan, who was facing murder charges when he resisted upon seeing lawmen near his home," he said.
The injured soldier belonged to the Army's 10th Special Forces Company.
And two ranking NPA rebels were killed in August del Norte and Misamis Oriental.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1225387 |
Two ranking New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and a member were killed in recent encounters that took place in Agusan del Norte and Misamis Oriental provinces, the Army’s 4th Infantry Division (4ID) said in a statement Thursday.
On May 21, the Army’s 16th Infantry Battalion (IB) engaged in a 10-minute skirmish with a group of NPA rebels in Barangay Bal-ason, Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental, which resulted in the death of two ranking leaders.
The fatalities were identified as Zaldy Galamiton, the secretary of the Sub-Regional Committee 1, and Johnjhon Ayuma Ramos, the commanding officer of the Sub-Regional Sentro De Grabidad Eagles, both under the NPA North Central Mindanao Regional Committee.
Recovered from the encounter site were two M16 rifles, bandoliers, magazines, ammunition, and personal belongings, the 4ID said.
On May 20, troopers of the Army’s 29IB on a pursuit operation in Bangonay, Jabonga, Agusan del Norte also clashed with a group of communist insurgents.
The insurgents immediately abandoned their position after the five-minute firefight and left behind a dead comrade identified as Berto Dayong, a member of the NPA Sub-Regional Sentro de Grabidad West under the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee.
Government troops also recovered a 9mm pistol and a .45-caliber pistol at the clash site.
Maj. Gen. Jose Maria Cuerpo II, 4ID commander, commended the 29IB and 16IB for swiftly responding to citizens' reports of the presence of NPA guerrillas in their localities.
“These reports indicate the continuing support of the civilians to our government and our forces,” Cuerpo said.
The operations, he added, also thwarted the plans of the insurgents to conduct extortion and harassment of civilians in the area.
This means not only are the NPA active in Mindanao but they are not without leadership.
San Pedro City in Laguna is set to be awarded the stable internal peace and security designation having had no significant rebel activity in over a year. In preparation the AFP "will soon be conducting peace and order-oriented seminars for first-time job-seekers in this city in hopes of steering them away from communist rebels’ influence."
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1225435 |
Instructors from the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) 2nd Civil Military Operations (2CMO) Battalion will soon be conducting peace and order-oriented seminars for first-time job-seekers in this city in hopes of steering them away from communist rebels’ influence.
This plan came together as San Pedro is poised to be awarded the stable internal peace and security (SIPS) designation, a seal the AFP confers on jurisdictions that have been without significant rebel activity for at least one year.
In an interview on Thursday, Lt. Col. Rolando Acido, commander of 2CMO, said the military looks forward to contributing to the city’s economic development by promoting constructive relations between the workforce tripartite, which is composed of the government, employers and the labor force by upholding industrial peace.
The Army officer said there was a meeting of minds when officers of the AFP and the Philippine National Police held an engagement meeting with local government leaders at the city hall on Wednesday.
He disclosed that San Pedro Mayor Art Joseph Mercado gave his support for the proposal to conduct AFP-led seminars for prospective entrants to the workforce in venues to be determined by the local leader.
"By fostering an environment of enduring peace within the community and becoming the pioneer city in Laguna to achieve SIPS status, Santa Pedro City can unlock its full economic potential for the benefit of all its constituents," Acido said.
He explained that his office hopes to leverage the participation of the human resource departments of the various hiring enterprises in the city to ensure they have access to as many applicants as possible.
Additionally, it was also agreed upon during Wednesday’s meeting that the military would conduct similar seminars for other community stakeholders, including village representatives and the youth of San Pedro.
“The local government has generously offered venues and other necessary support, while the PNP and CMO will contribute by providing speakers and moderators,” Acido added.
He noted that Santa Pedro has remained devoid of violent terrorist incidents for over a year, and as such, the SIPS seal should be forthcoming.
What does this even mean? Are the NPA now recruiting through jobs? Or is this a subtle way to red-tag unions and labor organizers? Are the AFP warning first-time job seekers to stay away from unions? It would not be inconceivable.
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