Insurgency: Eliminating IS-Linked Daulah Islamiyah By Year End

This week the AFP was ambushed by suspected members of the Dawlah Islamiya as they were distributing food for Ramadan.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1220999

Four government soldiers were killed in an ambush perpetrated by suspected Dawlah Islamiya (DI) terrorists in Datu Hoffer Ampatuan town, Maguindanao del Sur province on Sunday morning.

The soldiers were heading back to base at about 10 a.m. after doing marketing chores when waylaid in Barangay Tuayan.

Three belonged to the Army's 40th Infantry Battalion (IB), while the fourth was from the 3rd Army Cavalry, all under the 601st Infantry Brigade (Bde).

Maj. Gen. Alex Rillera, Army 6th Infantry Division commander, strongly condemned the attack.

"The soldiers were doing community service when attacked," Rillera said.

Aside from office supplies, the four soldiers were also tasked to buy food for the "Iftar" of Muslim residents living near their camp.

"Iftar" is the breaking of the fast of Muslims after sunset during the holy month of Ramadan.

Rillera said the 40IB regularly provides free food for Iftar. This year, it started March 12.

Later on the BIFF would own up to being behind the ambush.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1920747/biff-owns-ambush-that-killed-4-soldiers

The Islamic State-linked terrorist group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) has claimed responsibility for the March 17 ambush in Datu Hoffer Ampatuan town of Maguindanao del Sur province that killed four off-duty soldiers.

Abu Supyan, speaking for the BIFF Kagi Karialan faction, told the Inquirer on Tuesday that the ambush in broad daylight in Barangay Tuayan 1 was triggered by continuous military offensives against their positions.

“We have been silent but they (Army) have been carrying out raids [against us]. Even the elder brother of Commander Kagi Karialan, who is a civilian, was killed [in these raids],” Supyan said in Filipino. Kagi Karialan leads one of the three BIFF factions.

Supyan said that because of the series of military offensives targeting BIFF members in Maguindanao del Sur, they had to retaliate. “That’s why we launched the ambush against the four soldiers,” said Supyan, adding: “We have no regrets that we did it.”

The ambush has strengthened the AFP's resolve to hunt down the remaining members of DI by the end of the year.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1920762/afp-targets-eliminating-is-linked-daulah-islamiyah-by-year-end

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is aiming to eliminate the Islamic State-linked Daulah Islamiyah (DI) by the end of the year, its spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said on Tuesday.

“Our target, for the AFP, as stated during our command conference at the start of the year, was for us to end the insurgency problem once and for all by the end of this year,” Padilla said when asked about the timeline for the elimination of the jihadist group.

Padilla previously said it also targets to finish the Maoist insurgency by year end.

Could it be that the AFP will have a double whammy victory by years end with the end of both the Muslim and Communist insurgencies? Their track record says no but small victories are happening along the way. This week the AFP has announced that 2 more NPA units in the Eastern Visayas have been dismantled. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/3/18/troops-dismantle-2-more-npa-units-in-eastern-visayas

Authorities have dismantled two more New People’s Army (NPA) units in Eastern Visayas.

These were Platoon 2 of Island Committee 47 Levox operating in the provinces of Leyte, Biliran, and Southern Leyte, and the Elcon Platoon of Sub-Regional Committee Browser operating in the provinces of Samar and Eastern Samar.

The Elcon Platoon of SRC Browser were remnants of the dismantled Central Front Samar 1 and Front Committee 3 of SRC Arctic while the P2 IC47 Levox was created in their attempt to re-establish a guerilla front in Leyte, Biliran, and Southern Leyte.

They also announced that 422 rebels have been neutralized between January 1st and March 14th. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1221249

A total of 422 New People's Army (NPA) insurgents and their supporters were neutralized in various operations by military units nationwide from Jan. 1 to March 14, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said.

AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla, in a media briefing Wednesday, said the figure consists of 374 surrendered, 15 arrested, and 33 killed.

Over the same period, 56 NPA lairs were seized and 221 assorted firearms and 71 anti-personnel mines were recovered and surrendered by the rebels to military units, according to the AFP.

In a related development, Padilla said the declaration of Surigao del Norte as an "insurgency-free province" on March 15 is a "testament to the effective implementation of our campaigns and brings us closer to our target of dismantling the remaining guerilla fronts and vertical units in the region."

It is also a significant development for the province in terms of peace and development, she added.

Interestingly enough they made this same kind of announcement last week.

Government troops have neutralized a total of 348 New People's Army (NPA) members and their allies in operations from Jan. 1 to March 7, the military announced Tuesday.

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2024/03/insurgency-no-let-up-in-afp-operations.html

That means 74 NPA rebels and allies have been neutralized in just one week. At this rate and with less than 1,500 NPA fighters left the communist insurgency could be finished in 20 weeks or by the end of August. But let's not hold our breath. 

Last week amnesty applications were available to download. They government was expecting 80,000 applicants. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1918561/amnesty-form-for-ex-rebels-accessible-online-starting-this-week

Former rebels who wish to apply for government amnesty may download the form online beginning this week, National Amnesty Commission (NAC) official Jamar Kulayan said Thursday.

In a phone interview with INQUIREr.net, the NAC commissioner said they anticipate around 80,000 eligible ex-insurgents to apply for amnesty.

He added that even before the release of the Amnesty Program’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR), former members of the New People’s Army (NPA), Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas-Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB), Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) may already avail of the government’s reprieve offer.

But, so far nobody has applied!

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1921485/no-rebel-has-so-far-applied-for-govt-amnesty-says-nac-head

The  National Amnesty Commission (NAC) said it has yet to receive applications for amnesty even after Congress concurred with a presidential proclamation that would grant reprieve to rebels.

NAC Chairperson Leah Tanodra-Armamento said they had opened the submission of forms since March 13.

“We have yet to receive anything,” said Armamento during Thursday’s Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing, in reply to a query on how many insurgents have already applied for government amnesty.

Congress concurred with Presidential Proclamation No. 404, which seeks to grant reprieve to members of the New People’s Army (NPA), Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas-Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB), Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

Last week, NAC official Jamar Kulayan told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview that the issuance of the Amnesty Program’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR) will happen soon following this action of Congress. He said the IRR may be out before the end of March, but submission of the application may already proceed even before it.

Kulayan likewise said that former rebels who wish to apply for government amnesty may download the form online beginning last week. He further disclosed that the NAC expects around 80,000 eligible ex-insurgents to apply.

“Before I assumed office, the MILF [already has] the list of the names, but during [that] time, the Office was not yet organized. It was only organized when I assumed Office last January 24, 2023,” she said, noting that the MILF has the most number of former rebels who have expressed interest in obtaining government reprieve.

Are these potential applicants even aware of the program and where to download the form? Do they have internet access? There are a lot of variables here which the government will surely work through if they are sincere in their amnesty offer. 

Insurgency: No Let-Up In AFP Operations

The AFP is enjoying high trust ratings from the public. But they will continue to pursue the NPA rather than sit on their laurels. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/3/11/brawner-no-let-up-in-afp-operations-amid-high-trust-performance-ratings

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will not rest on its laurels after getting high trust and performance ratings in a recent survey conducted by polling firm Octa Research. 

AFP Chief, General Romeo Brawner Jr. welcomed the results of the “Tugon ng Masa” fourth quarter survey by Octa Research which showed that the AFP was one of the most trusted and top-performing government agencies in 2023.

“The result of the OCTA Research Fourth Quarter 2023 Tugon ng Masa Survey is an affirmation of the hard work and dedicated service of every soldier, airman, sailor, and marine in the performance of our mandate to the Filipino people,” Brawner said on Monday, March 11.

The military chief urged the officers, enlisted personnel and civilian human resource of the AFP to “continue working hard for the country,” and remain united and professional at all times.

“We will continue to fight to protect our people and our sovereignty,” he promised.

Last week, Octa research revealed the results of its latest survey conducted from December 10 to 14, 2023 which showed that 86 percent of adult Filipinos were satisfied with the military’s performance and 87 percent trusted them.

Is there any reason to think the AFP would sit back and relax simply because they have earned a high trust rating from the public?

In the first two months of the year 348 NPA and their allies have been neutralized. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1220568

Government troops have neutralized a total of 348 New People's Army (NPA) members and their allies in operations from Jan. 1 to March 7, the military announced Tuesday.

In a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said this includes 301 who surrendered, 14 who were apprehended and 33 who were killed.

She said a total of 41 camps, 175 firearms and 44 anti-personnel mines (APMs) were seized from the communist rebels during this period.

"In the same period, a total of 44 local terrorist group members were neutralized," Padilla said.

This can be broken down into 27 surrendered, one arrested, and 16 killed, she added.

Troops also seized a total of 44 firearms, four APMs and five encampments of local terrorist groups, Padilla said.

How many of those neutralized were actual NPA fighters? It seems like only 44 but he breakdown is not made explicit. 

9 NPA fighters surrendered claiming they have been demoralized by the AFP's constant attacks. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1220492

Nine communist New People's Army rebels separately surrendered in the provinces of Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Sur, the military here said Monday.

Brig. Gen. Arsenio Sadural, Philippine Army's 901st Infantry Brigade (901Bde) commander, said on Sunday, five rebels yielded to the 29th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Agusan del Norte, while the other four to the 36IB in Surigao del Sur.

In Agusan del Norte, the surrenderers were identified as Maria Sila Galupo, Hanah Sarah Galupo, Narlyn Consuegra, Manuel Nakira Jr., and Urily Nakila, who all belonged to the NPA Regional Headquarters of the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC).

The group handed over two M16 rifles, an AK-47 rifle, and an M79 grenade launcher with ammunition.

In Surigao del Sur, the four other surrenderers belonging to the weakened NPA Guerrilla Front 30 under the NEMRC are Bernabe Pamad, Ronel Estano, Mary Koy Cuarteron, and Lito Montenegro. The group turned in an AK-47 rifle and a .45-caliber pistol.

"The nine (rebels) escaped from their groups because they feared being hit by the continuous combat operations of the 29IB and the 36IB," Sadural said in a statement.

Sadural said the surrender of the nine rebels indicated that the NEMRC is "on the brink of collapse. We are now at the stage wherein insurgency is at its lowest point and nearing extinction. It's the right time to unite and embrace peace."

He said the surrenderers are set to avail of government services under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program. 

The North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee is on the brink of collapse. In fact it was destroyed in 2020!

https://mindanaotimes.com.ph/notorious-npa-group-of-reg-10-wiped-out-army/

The North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) of the New Peoples Army was believed to have been wiped during the five-day clashes against the troops of the 401st Infantry Brigade in Andap Valley Complex in Surigao del Sur on May 14-19.

Lt. Col. Xerxes Trinidad, the 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office chief, said that 20 of the NPAs top leaders were killed during the series of encounters. He said the military operations were launched on the complaint of the indigenous communities regarding harassment and forced recruitments.

He said the NPA is also taking advantage of the confusion caused by the pandemic by ramping up their propaganda against the government. The documents that soldiers recovered from encounter sites and the overrun camps would support their theory about an existing plot by the Communist Party of the Philippines.

They also recovered two laptops, supposedly owned by Myrna Sularte or Mariang Malaya, the secretary of NEMRC, and Alvin Luque alias Joaquin Jacinto, the spokesperson of National Democratic Fronts Komisyon Mindanao. The laptops also yielded material evidence on the activities of the NPA.

Again, we see the danger of premature announcements of victory. Like in Suirgao del Norte.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/3/16/surigao-del-norte-declared-insurgency-free

Surigao del Norte has been declared insurgency-free after the massive and successive surrender of high-ranking New People’s Army leaders in the province at the provincial gymnasium here on Friday, March 15.

Gov. Lyndon Barbers said that the province has become conflict-manageable and ready for development. “Our province is now free, and thus paving the way for more growth and economic development,” declared the provincial chief executive.

"The province has become conflict-manageable?" Does that mean the area is not actually free of insurgents but only has a "manageable"number of rebels left? Yes. 

“Every week most of the NPA members are surrendering. They’re weakened at and awakened by the of the lies perpetuated by the NPA,’’ Abalos said..

https://mb.com.ph/2024/3/17/surigao-del-norte-declared-as-communist-insurgency-free

Surigao del Norte is not 100% insurgency free. Rather, the insurgency has been weakened.

An official announcement of amnesty is just around the corner. When it finally comes former NPA fighters who wish to do so can join the Army.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1918657/former-rebels-seeking-amnesty-most-welcome-to-join-ph-army

Former rebels who are seeking amnesty are “most welcome” to join the Philippine Army, its spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala told INQUIRER.net on Thursday. 

Dema-ala made the reaction as Commissioner Jamar Kulayan of the National Amnesty Commission (NAC) revealed to INQUIRER.net that around 80,000 rebels are eligible to avail of the government reprieve.

“If joining the ranks of the Philippine Army will help them transition, reconstruct their lives and secure a brighter future they are most welcome as long as they have satisfied the basic requirements of the Philippine Army and passed the vetting process,” Dema-ala said in a text message. 

“The Philippine Army extends its welcome to former rebels choosing to return to the folds of the law,” Dema-ala said.

The offer applies to all former rebels including members of the New People’s Army (NPA), Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas-Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB), Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). What will happen to Army morale knowing that you are fighting alongside men who fought against you? 

The AFP continues the fight against the BIFF and DI. After killing 2 BIFF fighters the AFP is bracing for retaliation. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1220490

Military forces in Maguindanao del Sur have been placed on heightened alert after two extremists were killed in a clash with government forces in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town over the weekend.

As of Monday, military detachments in the adjoining towns of Shariff Aguak, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Mamasapano, and Shariff Saydona in Maguindanao Sur, areas where the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIFF) operates, remain on alert for possible retaliatory attacks.

Maj. Gen. Alex Rillera, Army’s 6th Infantry Division commander, said the Army’s 1st Brigade Combat Team conducted the decisive military operations at about 5 a.m. Saturday that left two members of the BIFF dead.

Brig. Gen. Jose Vladimir Caraga, 1BCT commander, said the remains of two slain BIFFs were retrieved in the village of Kitango in Datu Saudi Ampatuan.

“We found an M16 rifle, a .50-caliber homemade Barrett rifle, ammunition, and two improvised explosive devices,” Caraga said in his report to Rillera.

Caraga said about 20 BIFFs were sighted by civilians in the village and alerted military checkpoints nearby, which triggered the clash.

He said soldiers are now pursuing the BIFF group belonging to the Kagui Karialan faction.

On March 3, a BIFF fighter was killed while his father, a sub-leader, was arrested in Mamasapano, Maguindanao del Sur.

If they are expecting retaliatory attacks that means the AFP is acknowledging that the BIFF is not weak. Despite being small they remain dangerous. The DI also remains dangerous even while on the run. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1917990/daulah-islamiyah-on-the-run-says-ph-army

The extremist Daulah Islamiyah-Maute group is on the run, said Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido on Wednesday.

(The Daulah Islamiyah is now just a small group that is isolated in a place that is hard to reach. In short, they are on the run. The Army is very aggressive; that is why we lost some personnel in the last few months because we were so aggressive in going after them.)

Galido said that they do not want to leave space for the militants to commit further crimes.

Furthermore, the Army chief said that the number of guerilla fronts has been reduced but did not specify how many are left. He said that the fronts were reduced because the government was successful in ensuring that its services reach vulnerable areas.

However, Galido admitted that there were a few guerilla fronts left in Samar and Bicol.

The DI may be on the run but that is sure to make them only that more willing to commit atrocities like the bombing at MSU.  Hopefully that will not happen and any intel the AFP obtains will be acted on promptly. 

Insurgency: Stable Internal Peace And Security

 The AFP has finally declared Negros Occidental has achieved stable internal peace and security. 

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2024/03/06/2338459/stable-internal-peace-and-security-declared-negros-occidental

Negros Occidental is in a state of stable internal peace and security (SIPS).

The provincial joint peace and security coordinating council composed of the Army, Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Coast Guard made the recommendation for the SIPS declaration during a meeting held at Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in this city yesterday.

“We have achieved a very important milestone in our quest for attaining peace in Negros Occidental,” Col. Victor Llapitan, deputy commander of the Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (IB), said.

Provinces declared in a state of SIPS are considered cleared and unaffected by communist insurgents and relatively peaceful, Maj. Mervin Rosal, 303rd IB civil-military operations chief, said.

Rosal said this means the local government unit and PNP acknowledge that only law enforcement operations are needed – an indication that the province is ”normalized.”

The joint declaration will be forwarded to the Negros Occidental Provincial Peace and Order Council and Western Visayas Regional Peace and Order Council for concurrence.

Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, Visayas Command chief, clarified that declaring a state of SIPS does not mean an area is insurgency-free since remnants of communist groups will be the subject of relentless and focused military operations.

Arevalo said the military is bent on preventing the resurgence of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (NPA) in communities cleared of communist insurgents.

That is not the same as declaring the region insurgency free. There are still 33 NPA fighters left which is an insignificant number being less than a squad. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/3/5/number-of-npa-fighters-drop-to-33-in-negros-occidental

The number of New People’s Army combatants, including the Regional Strike Force in Negros Occidental, has dropped to 33 from 258 in 2019, Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, said.

Edralin said that the Central Negros 1, CN 2, and the Northern Negros Front (NNF) have been dismantled.

Thus, he said, the number of these guerilla fronts is now considered insignificant as they are only less than the size of squad.

Edralin said they are having difficulty in locating rebel remnants as their number decreases. 

But he said they are establishing links with their relatives and friends and collaborate with different government agencies, especially local chief executives, to convince them to surrender through local peace engagements.

“We would not want more rebels to die, since we always wanted to settle and to end the local communist armed conflict through peaceful means,” Edralin said.

Based on the joint community evaluation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, Edralin said that the three dismantled NPA guerilla fronts, including those of the RSF, have 49 firearms left.

This declaration means Negros Occidental is now open for business. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1220228

The recommendation of government forces to declare a state of stable internal peace and security (SIPS) in Negros Occidental, after the dismantling of all communist guerrilla fronts in Negros Island, is seen to attract more investments to the province.

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said in an interview on Wednesday that he hopes “investors will feel more confident” coming here “knowing that there is peace and order” in Negros Occidental.  

“We’ve always wanted to reach that level that there is stable peace and order situation. I think this is also based on the fact that all the fronts of the CPP-NPA have been dismantled. At least, the government that they have set up here in the province has been dismantled,” he told reporters.

In a statement, Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, commander of 3ID, said the joint recommendation through the JPSCC is “an important document that will jumpstart the declaration of SIPS in Negros Island."

“This marks a milestone in the quest for peace. As we aim to declare Negros in a state of SIPS, the support, collaboration, and commitment of government agencies and stakeholders reflect a significant initiative towards ensuring peace and stability,” he added.

Those are odd statements because there has been quite a lot of investment in Negros Occidental. In 2018 the local government laid bare a roadmap to attract investors.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1049298

The provincial government of Negros Occidental will create a market-driven investment roadmap to attract more investors.

This is the province’s next step after hosting the “Invest in Negros” business forum on Wednesday at the Dusit Thani Hotel Manila as a side event of the ongoing 33rd Negros Trade Fair at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City, which will run until October 30.

Joy Ogan, executive assistant to Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., said they will use the inputs from the forum as the basis to come up with an investment roadmap that will include programs making the province more investment-ready.

“This will help us engage better with investors,” she added.

Ogan said through the business forum, the provincial government has also recognized the need for more collaboration with the private sector.

“The role of the government is more on regulatory and creating a positive environment for businesses to grow thus, we need to have more engagements and dialogues especially on the creation of local ordinances allowing investment to grow,” she said.

There is not a single word about the insurgency preventing investment in Negros Occidental. Could it be that the NPA which is relegated to the mountainous hinterlands did not pose a threat to investors in Negros Occidental? Could it be that this declaration is all about making the AFP look good? They are already planning on declaring Panay Island to have achieved stable internal peace and security. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1220329

The Philippine Army hopes to declare a state of Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) in Panay before this year ends by working on dismantling the two already-weakened guerrilla fronts on the island.

Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines, chief of the 3rd Division Public Affairs Office (DPAO), said the Central Panay and Southern Panay Fronts of the New People’s Army (NPA) no longer have any hold on any of the barangays in these areas after losing their political-military structure in the villages.

“We already have zero-affected barangays. If we dismantled them by the third quarter, then we will facilitate the declaration of SIPS,” he said in an interview on Thursday.

Javines said the declaration of SIPS could boost investor confidence.

Aside from having a stable power supply, the business sector looks at security as a parameter when investing.

He said the Feb. 28 encounter with members of the Southern Panay Front, Komiteng Rehiyon Panay in San Joaquin town in Iloilo, was a big blow to the communist group.

The encounter left four members of the communist group dead while one was captured. The group also lost several firearms.

“They will have difficulty looking for a replacement if they lose their senior officials,” he said, adding that their operations resulted in the neutralization of their squad leader, finance, and medical officers.

He also credited the support of civilians for providing them with information.

“The popular support of our civilians is a very important indicator. If we can get information from them, it means they are no longer supporting the armed group,” he added.

It may be good for business but will that help alleviate the poverty in which so many Filipinos live? 

Former rebels are being given wider access to health care services. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/3/8/peace-at-last-ex-rebels-combatants-given-wider-access-to-medical-services-by-national-government

Former Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) rebels and decommissioned combatants of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will now be able to access vital health services in public hospitals through the newly established partnership between the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) and Department of Health (DOH).

Peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. and Health Sec. Teodoro Herbosa signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) recently to include former communist rebels and decommissioned Moro combatants as beneficiaries of the "Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP)" project by the DOH.

Under the MAIFIP, the beneficiaries will be able to avail of health services in public hospitals throughout the country with financial and medical assistance provided by the national government.

In his remarks during the signing ceremony, Galvez underscored that "health and peace must go together."

“There are more or less 40,000 former rebels and CPP-NPA [members] who returned to the folds of the law. There are also 727 former NPA rejectionist groups in the areas of Aklan, Regions 6 and 7, and Davao who will be beneficiaries of this project," he explained.

Galvez noted that the provision of medical assistance is aside from the annual budget allocation of P58.8 million that has been allotted under OPAPRU’s budget to fund the PhilHealth premiums of former rebels and decommissioned combatants.

The implementation of conflict-sensitive health programs, such as the one to be carried out by OPAPRU and DOH through the MOA, will "allow both agencies to work together to provide recipients with much-needed health services," the peace adviser added.

It is also seen to strengthen the government’s peace-building efforts as it "sends a clear and strong signal that it is determined to improve the lives of the beneficiaries and support their journey towards their complete and meaningful transformation."

The provision of socioeconomic assistance and services are among the key components of the Transformation and Normalization Programs of the national government that seek to sustain and build on the gains of the comprehensive Philippine peace process. 

The Transformation Program is a community-driven intervention that is being implemented in parallel with the Local Peace Engagement (LPE) initiative which aims to uplift the socioeconomic conditions of former rebels, their families, and communities.

On the other hand, the Normalization Program, which is under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), is designed to help decommissioned MILF combatants to return to mainstream society as peaceful and productive citizens.

"Through this MOA, we can provide the medical and financial needs of former rebels. Pilipino rin sila (They are also Filipinos) and they are entitled to the assistance of the government, especially of the Department of Health para maramdaman nila ang kalinga ng gobyerno (so they can feel that the government takes care of them)," Herbosa said.

Meanwhile in Samar the Army is dialoguing with the families of the remaining rebels in order to convince them to surrender. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1220350

Military and local government officials in Samar will hold more peace forums and dialogue to convince the remaining members of the New People’s Army (NPA) through their families to return to the folds of the law and avail of the benefits offered by the government.

Philippine Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade commander Brig. General Noel Vestuir said Friday they are strengthening the Friends Rescued Engagement through their Families (FReE Families) project to completely wipe out insurgency in Samar province.

During the launch on March 5, the army and the local government gathered family members of active NPA members in upland Bacubac village in Basey, Samar, with 29 family members present. Their kin are among the 17 active rebels who are residents of Samar.

Vestuir said they would hold the same dialogue in other areas of Samar province next week.

“The familial influence held by the family and relatives of the remaining active NPA members under the NPA sub-regional committee plays an integral role in our aim to end the armed struggle in Samar through peaceful means,” Vestuir said.

The FReE Families program optimizes the local government’s efforts to link and convince the remaining NPA members through the active participation of the rebels’s families to work for the peaceful surrender of their loved ones and take advantage of the benefits through the Enhanced Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).

E-CLIP is a government strategy to convince active rebels to return to the fold of the law by providing financial packages and assistance.

In a statement, Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan said she is optimistic that “the current efforts through the engaged families will work for the surrender of the remaining rebels who are still in the mountains.”

The governor said the identified families and relatives of NPA members are the principal actors for this program, with the end goal of having the NPA members, our target, leave the armed struggle and join them in living a peaceful life. 

Interesting that the AFP knows the exact identities of the remaining rebels yet they cannot put an end to the rebellion.  

Insurgency: No Repeat of Marawi Siege

It is absolutely incredible how many rebels have surrendered in the past two years. Incredible meaning not believable in the slightest. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1910302/pnp-over-15000-rebels-surrendered-from-2022-to-jan-2024

More than 15,000 rebels have surrendered and joined the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s (NTF-Elcac) Balik-Loob Program, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported Monday.

PNP chief General Benjamin Acorda Jr. said the number of rebel returnees was recorded from 2022 until January 31, 2024.

“A total of 15,092 individuals have surrendered and embraced the Balik-Loob Program through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP),” he said in a press briefing.

“These accomplishments contribute to the diligent work of dismantling terrorist networks and disrupting the flow of funds that support acts of terror. These developments underscore the effectiveness of our resolute military operations in the fight against terrorism,” he added.

According to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), ECLIP “is a scheme that promotes reconciliation in a non-violent manner, which aims to provide DILG-administered package of assistance”

to former rebels and former violent extremists.

The program’s package covers “immediate assistance, provision of the reintegration process, a starting capital for livelihood, as well as remunerating surrendered firearms.”

On February 14,  the Armed Forces of the Philippines said it aims to eliminate the 11 remaining New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla units nationwide by the end of 2024.

AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Padilla said a timeline was given to military commanders to defeat the NPA in line with the government’s goal to transition to external defense.

AFP chief General Romeo Brawner Jr reported in January that the number of NPA guerrilla units has declined from 13 to 11.

Don't forget that just last year the AFP said there were only 1,800 NPA fighters left!

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1799676/fwd-afp-npa-has-around-1800-members-left

From around 2,000 members reported in 2022, the communist New People’s Army (NPA) is now down to around 1,800 fighters, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said on Monday.

“The CPP-NPA is down to 1,800 plus members,” Aguilar said in an online press conference. CPP stands for the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Aguilar, however, declined to divulge the primary locations of the insurgents.

“Let the military worry about the breakdown. These are tactical information we cannot divulge,” he said.

Aguilar added around 400 NPA rebels have pending cases.

“As we look at the data right now, with 1,800 plus remaining, around 400 plus of them … are facing cases,” Aguilar said.

Where did these 15,000 rebels come from? What are they counting? Who are they counting?  And the AFP says there are 13 guerrilla units left?  Just last month they said there are NO  ACTIVE FRONTS LEFT!!!

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1216269

An official of the National Security Council (NSC) on Wednesday said the New People's Army (NPA) is at its weakest state ever in its 55th year of existence as it has "zero active guerilla fronts" and with less than 1,500 fighters remaining nationwide.

What does it mean the NPA has declined from 13 to 11 fronts if none of them are active and the AFP has declared a strategic victory?

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1883388/nsc-npa-now-weakened-strategically-defeated

The New People’s Army (NPA) is “at its weakest in its 55-year-history” and has been “strategically defeated” after the security forces of the country announced that the rebel group no longer has active guerrilla fronts nationwide, National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said on Wednesday.

“With its active guerrilla fronts now weakened, the NPA has been strategically defeated,” Malaya revealed in a press conference on the report of National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) executive director Usec. Ernesto Torres Jr. stated that the country only has 14 weakened guerrilla units left for dismantling.

Ok, so they are just weakened fronts? But who cares if they are inactive? The communist insurgency continues to weaken in Cordillera. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1219934

Continued engagement by the police with relatives of former rebels helped neutralize communist groups in the Cordillera region, authorities said.

Data from the Police Regional Office (Cordillera) show that about 103 members of the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) were neutralized in 2023, up from 91 a year ago.

It shows that a rebel was captured in 2023, while six were arrested, five were killed, and 91 voluntarily surrendered to avail of the enhanced comprehensive local integration program (E-CLIP).

“(The) arrest of three top-ranking leaders somehow caused a vacuum in the leadership of the Ilocos-Cordillera Regional Committee, making it hard for them to sustain its force in the Cordillera region, particularly in their former mass bases.” Brig. Gen. David Peredo said in a report furnished to the Philippine News Agency on Friday.

Police data show that some of the arrested and captured NPA members last year were identified through tactical interrogations, custodial debriefing reports, and the exploitation of recovered documents while others are supporters of the CPP-NPA.

In a phone interview on Friday, Peredo traced the large number of surrenderers to the continuous engagement of police intelligence personnel with relatives of former rebels who have availed of the E-CLIP and the whole-of-nation approach in ending local armed conflict under Executive Order (EO) 70. 

“This implies that the government’s program has effectively enticed some (rebels) and supporters to denounce the CPP-NPA in exchange for a normal and peaceful life with their families,” he said.

Along with fighting the remnants of the NPA the AFP is focused on making sure there is no resurgence of the insurgency in cleared areas.  

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1219960

The Visayas Command (Viscom) said Saturday that military operations will now be focused on preventing the resurgence of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in communities already cleared of insurgency.

Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, Viscom chief, said in a statement that after the devastating blows against the CPP-NPA in February, the must ensure that insurgents could not take any foothold in areas where development is inevitable.

At least 30 rebels were neutralized during the February operations, 14 of whom died in encounters, 15 surrendered, and one apprehended.

“Our mission is not yet over. We may have achieved significant gains in our campaign last month, but there is a lot to be done," he said.

"Our forces are now focused on preventing the resurgence of the CPP-NPA in the Visayas by neutralizing the few remaining members of the terrorist group,” he added.

“The success of our campaign in its early stage this year is attributed to the active support of our people, having freed them from the clutches of the terrorist group last year. This is the reason why we cannot stop,” Arevalo said. 

The AFP continues to go after the remnants of Maute which has prompted one House member to declare there will be no repeat of the Marawi siege. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1911147/adiong-vows-no-repeat-of-marawi-siege-as-govt-pursues-maute-remnants

Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong has assured the public that there would be no repeat of the Marawi siege despite an incident between Maute group remnants and the military, saying that government forces and local governments are actively pursuing the terrorists.

Adiong in a briefing on Tuesday explained that the support of local government units (LGUs) is crucial to law enforcement agencies and military institutions tracking down Maute Group fighters involved in the recent clash with the military.

Six Scout Rangers and three alleged fighters of the Daulah Islamiyah-Maute Group  (DI-MG) were killed in an encounter in Lanao del Norte’s Munai town last February 25, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said.

“With the support of the LGUs, we’ve seen how we were able to liberate Marawi City. And I don’t see any reason why the same problem again may pop up in the future,” Adiong, who chairs the Ad Hoc Committee on Marawi Rehabilitation and Victims Compensation, told reporters at the House complex.

The lawmaker also said that the best way to deter public fear about the incident is to show that the government is in control of the situation — which happened as Brawner himself visited the area.

“I saw that after what happened in Lanao del Norte, the chief-of-staff himself went there to condole bereaved families.  And then there are additional deployments in the area to secure it.  Because the military and the police, they already have an idea as to where the remnants would run towards,” Adiong said.

“That’s why it’s important, based on our experience, is the engagement of our security sector with the LGUs down to the barangays.  We need to have a stronger presence there and the intelligence gathering is of prime importance.  Because if we have a good intelligence gathering and we get correct intel, resources are not wasted,” he added.

Representative Adiong could not be more deceptive. The problem is NOT intel gathering but using the intelligence gathered. The government had prior knowledge of the Marawi siege and DID NOT ACT on that intelligence. Instead they ignored it. In an interview in 2017 Adiong admitted this fact. 

"Well I think it, it has been accepted by the military, no less than Secretary Lorenzana, it was more of a lapse in terms of appreciating the facts on the ground. Appreciating intelligence reports. And remember before Marawi siege there was also an attack happen in Butig. The same perceived enemy, the same objective and after Butig, a couple of months after that they attacked the town of Piagapo.  

And already there were reports coming in that they were actually moving toward Marawi City. And the military already knew the attack was supposed to be staged on the 26th of May not 23 it was actually a premature attack because of the warrant of arrest to be served against Isnilon Hapilon. 

Even the people of Marawi knew something was up and they did not speak up. In the same interview Adiong said: 

"Well actually we already, all of the people in Marawi City, in the entire province, already knew that there was a group fashioning themselves after ISIS. We knew about the Maute brothers but it's like a phantom. They're like a phantom.  You know that there's a group but you don't actually know the individual members of this group. So it was more of a distant, say for example, you feel their presence but you don't actually know where they are. So that's why they're like phantom. They come and go and even before the Butig attack they were already harassing non-Marano residents in the city accordingly they even admitted to this hostilities, this harassment against non-Marano residents in the city. 

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2018/05/intelligence-failures-and-prior.html

If there is to be no repeat of the Marawi siege it is not enough for Maute or the rest of IS to be destroyed. The AFP must take all threats seriously and act on intelligence rather than ignore it as was done in the case of Marawi.