Insurgency: No Reason to Rebel

Remember a few weeks ago when the AFP sponsored a peace rally against the NPA? It seems the AFP has done it again this time in Iloilo.

https://www.kalinawnews.com/iloilo-villages-hold-peace-rally-condemn-npa/

Participants marched together and loudly voiced-out their sentiments on how the CPP-NPA made their lives miserable by hampering the existence of peace and development. They also expressed that these communist terrorists are no longer welcome and are banned from entering their barangays. Their goal is to have a peaceful community and be free from violence and abuses from these lawless elements. Present in the occasion are the Local Government Unit of Miagao headed by the honorable Mayor. Macario N. Napulan, M.D. and the Army’s 61st Infantry (Hunter) Battalion under LTC Joel Benedict G Batara, its Commanding Officer.

Furthermore, the highlight of the activity was the Signing of the Oath of Allegiance by the formerly influenced residents by the communist terrorist. This was followed by the burning of CPP-NPA Flag to strongly condemn and withdraw their support to achieve inclusive peace and development in their barangay. The last part of the program is the Release of Doves as a symbol of peace and unity to reign in the people’s hearts. Meanwhile, Mayor Napulan stated that “To the people of Miagao, to those who are here today, who have been a victim of the CPP-NPA, do not be hesitant, do not have doubts, our Philippine Army is here, the local government officials of our town is here, and they are showing their full support so that we can achieve what we aim for. Ang akon lang ginapangayo kaninyo, parapet kamo, indi naton masarangan kung mga barangay officials lang, parapet kamo sa banwa kay para manginmarapit man kami sa inyo, ginatinguwaan ko nga magparapit kaninyo. Kay wala nani sang katapusan ang ila nga systema gani tyempo ron dya kag tapuson naton. Mabuhay ang banwa kang Miagao! Mabuhay ang kalinong kag katawhay kang banwa naton! Ibagsak ang CPP-NPA.”

This article does not explicitly say the AFP sponsored this rally but with their presence what can one concede otherwise? It's right in line with their psyop efforts on social media and their attempt to bribe rebels to surrender.

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1055329

“(What else are they going to reason to rebel when they have already been given everything. From TESDA, DOLE, DTI, DSWD, and other agencies, everything has been given to them so they can sustain their livelihood),” he said.

Libayao especially cited the farm-to-market road project given by the government as “the most important thing” to the communities’ livelihood because without the road, it was too difficult for people to move and get access.

As well, one of the many programs of the government for Talaingod is the housing project, which Libayao confidently believes will make the IPs in Haran come back to Talaingod.

“([For those in Haran] Of course they will come back because they now have houses to live in, they will be envious of their fellows who have received their own decent house to live in),” he explained.

He explained that the reason why some of the IPs moved to Haran is because of their lack of homes.

“(Our IP brothers, they just go from place to place to live because they never had a concrete house to live in, they always just had temporary houses…That’s why they moved to Haran because they didn’t have a place to stay),” he said.

But now that there is the government’s housing project for the IPs, Libayao believes this will encourage the communities to stay in one place and work hard towards their livelihood.

“(So now that the government gave them a decent housing, that’s where they will work hard towards their livelihood),” he said.

He added that these houses are a complete package, since there will be water system, and electricity  for the housing sites.

“(So what reason do they have to rebel? They have the complete package, there is water system, there is a program by the province to bring electricity there),” Libayao added.

Everything has been give to them.  They have the complete package. Why should they rebel?  Why indeed? Why are they relying on the Philippine government for anything when they, as indigenous people, have been living just fine for centuries. What changed? 

The number of terrorist the government has successfully bribed into laying down their arms continues to multiply.

 https://www.kalinawnews.com/271-sulu-asg-returnees-avail-social-integration-benefits/

Heeding to the Localized Social Integration Program (LSIP) of Joint Task Force Sulu, at 2:00 o’clock PM today, the Minister of MSSD, BARMM, Atty Raisa Jajurie, extended financial assistance in the amount of Fifteen Thousand Pesos (Php 15, 000.00) to the 144 qualified ASG returnees of Sulu. The cash assistance is a seed money intended for the livelihood projects of the surrenderees such as farming, fishing, aquaculture, poultry, and livestock raising. Also present during the activity to extend their organization’s services are WESTMINCOM Commander Lt Gen Corleto Vinluan Jr, JTF Sulu Commander BGen William Gonzales, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) Representative Mr Ariel Hernandez, United Nation Development Program (UNDP) Representative Mr Chetan Kumar, and Balay Mindanao Foundation Inc (BMFI) Representative Mr Richard Rejas.

The LSIP is a joint program of Sulu LGU and JTF Sulu through its Provincial and Municipal Task Force ELAC. It encompasses three stages: RETURN, REFORM, and REINTEGRATE. The first stage is the formal surrender of the ASG to the military, police, or LGU where he will be undergoing medical check-up and profiling; the second is the reformation stage where he will undertake psychosocial intervention, non-formal education and trainings, and introduction to livelihood opportunities; and the third stage is the integration process where he will be granted with a livelihood assistance, enrolment to housing programs, and an active partner in advocating peace initiatives.

It appears this headline is incorrect as only 144 ASG returnees have received bribe money from the government just as it says in the body. It is not clear what psychosocial intervention is. Sounds like reeducation or brainwashing. When did these people surrender? There are only an estimated 500 or so members of Abu Sayyf. This amount of surrenderees would cut the group nearly in half.  Maybe some of these are supporters only and not actual terrorists.

The AFP also says 55 ASG members have been killed since the beginning of the year.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1117675

A total of 55 Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) terrorists were killed during intense military operations from January 1 to September 30 this year, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Tuesday.

In a press statement, AFP public affairs office chief Navy Capt. Jonathan Zata said 78 ASG members also surrendered in Eastern and Western Mindanao.

During the same period, the AFP also arrested six terrorists and seized 97 high and low-powered firearms, seven improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and nine encampments.

55 killed, 6 arrested, and 78 surrendered. So where do the 144 come from? Is the rehabilitation program longer than 9 months? 

The week the AFP caught 3 Indonesians with links to Abu Sayyf who are allegedly responsible for the 2019 Jolo bombing. This incident has pumped them up and excited them about ending the terror threat.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1118108

The arrest of a female Indonesian suicide bomber and two other persons with reported links with the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Barangay San Raymundo, Jolo, Sulu Saturday highlights the resolve of the Philippine Army (PA) and other security troops to eliminate the terrorist threat.

“The arrest of these individuals is a manifestation that the Army and its subordinate units are now more capacitated to find, fix, fight, and finish the enemy. We will continue to support our troops on the ground as they go after these threats and keep our communities safe,” PA chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said in a media statement.

Meanwhile, Arevalo said focused military operations ordered by AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Gilbert Gapay on the Dawlah Islamiya-inspired terrorist group, following the August 24 suicide bombing in Jolo which killed 14 people and wounded 75 others, has seriously degraded the capabilities of the terror organization.

He was referring to military operations that neutralized notable ASG sub-leaders which include Samir Nani, a bomb-maker who was killed last August 29; Rullie's husband Baso, who was also killed August 29; and Arsibar Sawadjaan, another bomb-maker, and cousin of Mundi Sawadjaan, who was killed last September 28.

Another factor in the decline of the ASG is the series of surrenders from the terror group due to intense pressure from the AFP.

"Gen. Gapay commends the operating units under Brig. Gen. William Gonzales, the Commander of 11th Infantry Division and Joint Task Force Sulu for this string of successes. To decisively defeat the ASG by December 2020 and relegate them to criminality problem was Gen. Gapay’s specific orders for Western Mindanao Command under Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan," Arevalo said.

What does it mean that the Army is now "more capacitated?" If you remember from my review of the book "The Battle of Marawi" recall that the AFP regularly ignored intel, falsified reports, and failed to learn any lessons from previous battles with terrorists. What exactly has changed to render them more capable to "finish the enemy? Will enough ASG members surrender or be caught to declare them decisively defeated in two months? We'll see.

NPA surrenderees are also going through rehabilitation programs in order to avail of the government's bribery programs.

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1055402

“They voluntarily surrendered and underwent a ‘de-radicalization’ program. The STT was organized by the Army's 3ID with the support of People's Advocacy for Collaboration and Empowerment (PeACE), an FR organization,” Pancito said in a press release.

STT aims to educate FR's on the fundamentals of public speaking and encourage them to assist the government in its peace and development initiatives; to capacitate the FRs in their role as third party advocate of the government through training; and contribute in the de-radicalization of FRs and discuss ideological corrections on issues concerning peace.

The training also aims to realign the experience and knowledge of the FRs towards peace and development efforts of the government and enlighten students/youth and other target audience on communist terrorist groups' infiltration through their actual accounts, narrative, and testimonies; and to strengthen the partnership between the PeACE.

On the other hand, Major General Eric Vinoya, 3ID Commander, said that the De-Radicalization Training will prevent the FRs from being lured by communist ideologies again to NPA recruitment.

Vinoya stressed that the training will also help the FRs embrace new lives and succeed in life after choosing the right path of returning to their families and communities.

"Your Army in Western and Central Visayas is here to help and support you as you return to the folds of the law. Start a peaceful life by moving on and embracing what you've learned, he said.

Are we to assume that all surrenderees went through this same program or only a select few? No matter because this is 100% propaganda. The government is turning NPA surrederees into spokesman for government propaganda. It's no wonder the AFP is sponsoring anti-CPP-NPA peace rallies held by former NPA members.

Just because many NPA members have surrendered is no guarantee that an area is insurgency free even though the AFP declares it to be so.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/344519/ferro-bohol-still-insurgency-free

Bohol is still insurgency-free despite having indicators of the presence of the New People’s Army (NPA) after a series of alleged surrender of its members lately 

This was what Police Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro told reporters in a call conference on Thursday, October 8, 2020. 

Ferro said despite being declared insurgency-free last 2010, they have spotted several “indicators” of NPA presence but these were immediately addressed through military and police operations.  

“In 2010, ang Bohol man gud gi declare na insurgency-free. So because of that pronouncement 10 years ago, there are indications last year that naay na discover na training camp, naay encounter, naay napatay na believed and suspected to be government informant na gipatay sa CTG (Communist-Terrorist Groups),” said Ferro.  

Just last October 6, Tuesday, another individual who claimed to be a member of the NPA surrendered to the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO).  

According to Ferro, they are on the lookout for possible remaining members of the NPA in the province.

But Ferro put an emphasis on those who have surrendered, saying it is an indication of the “dwindling” force of the NPA in Bohol. He said that the police will still not be complacent as they want Bohol to remain insurgency-free. 

If there are still NPA in the area and if the AFP discovered a training camp last year then how can they possibly say that Bohol is insurgency free? It makes no sense even with the AFP's own definition of insurgency-free.

“Insurgency-free”, according to Luga, means that they have received no more reports of armed men in the province. 

“Insignificant level. Wala na rito ang mga armed groups,” Luga said during the recent meeting of the Regional Peace and Order Council held at the Capitol Social Hall.

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2019/09/martial-law-insurgent-free.html

How is a training camp insignificant? It's not. If the NPA is dwindling then how is Bohol insurgency free?  It's not! It's a total contradiction. These terms and phrases as used buy the AFP are certainly all part of their psychological operations. Facebook is just the tip of an immense iceberg.