Insurgency: NPA Supply of Food Diminishes

The barangay development program has been touted as the only way to stop the communist rebellion. But, as I have been saying, that development should always be ongoing. I think this article from PNA illustrates my point.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1145709

The Cotabato Electric Cooperative (Cotelco), the province’s power provider, launched on Thursday afternoon the lighting of 143 households in two remote sub-villages here – both former encounter zones between government forces and communist New People’s Army (NPA) guerillas.

Jay Gonzaga, executive assistant of Mayor Florenito Gonzaga, and Jupiter Rubino, the municipal administrator and concurrent member of the Cotelco’s board of directors, led the separate onsite ceremonial switch-on before the recipients of the energization program in the adjoining areas.

“This is the promising mission of the Sitio Electrification Program (SEP), which is to bring electricity to the countryside to increase progress and attain sustainable development,” Rubino said.

According to Rubino, the Ubo Manuvu settlers have long been waiting to experience the benefit of electrification that could help their livelihood and respond to their students’ needs at home.

The villages were once a haven of insurgents due to their terrain and distance from the town proper.

“Now we can really see the benefits of electricity and it’s worth it after the long wait,” Danny Enoc, the leader of Sitio Natuyukan, said in Manobo language.

Rubino said the SEP would energize soon three other sub-villages here targeting 114 households in Sitio Bantaan, Bagumbayan; Sitio Tribal, Barangay Imamaling; and Sitio Malinao II in Barangay Magcaalam.

The SEP, a nationally-funded program under the National Electrification Administration, pursues rural electrification for countryside development.

The Cotelco has a total of 37 sitios (sub-villages) in the province to be energized under the program this year.

There is absolutely no excuse for this. Not even the presence of the NPA is much of an excuse because so many villages across the nation remain without electricity despite the mandate from the government to rectify that situation. The money has been allocated but there have been no results.

https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/10/3/sitios-with-no-electricity-17-000.html

A lawmaker is pushing to increase the National Electrification Administration’s budget to be able to provide access to electricity for more than 17,000 sitios across the country.

During the plenary deliberation on the proposed 2021 budget of the Department of Energy on Friday, APEC Party-list Rep. Sergio Dagooc said there are 17,379 un-energized sitios across the country, 6,637 of which are in Mindanao.

Dagooc said that for 2021, budget allocated for sitio electrification program of the NEA is at ₱1.8 billion, which can only provide access to power to 1,085 sitios. This is from an original proposal of ₱7.5 billion for next year, he said.

The lawmaker also noted that total electrification is not just about lighting homes, but also about sustainable rural development.

“If we are not going to do anything about this, would you agree that the budget of ₱1.8 billion…There is a danger that the remaining sitios will not be energized?,” Dagooc asked.

Zamboanga Rep. Manuel Dalipe, the sponsor of DOE’s budget, agreed and said they are open for any proposal pushing to increase budget for the program.

The government targets to achieve total electrification before the term of President Rodrigo Duterte ends in 2022. In a budget briefing last month, NEA said they need ₱15 billion to achieve the target of the program.

This program is all on the shoulders of the NEA. Maybe they don't have enough funds to achieve the target but there is nothing said about the NPA. So, why is the Cotobato Electric Company crowing about linking up two little villages to the grid? This should be a regular occurrence until the whole country is hooked up. The presence of the NPA should have no bearing on the "sustainable rural development" of the nation. If they are a problem then the military can guard the ongoing projects.

This week the AFP declared that hatred is the primary weapon of the CPP-NPA.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1145418

"Ang pangunahing pamamaraan ng pagsusulong ng kanilang gustong pagbabago ay (their primary tool in pushing for the change they want is) hatred. The propagation of hatred against the government, against the status quo, against the present system of government)," de Leon said.

He said claims that poverty is the primary reason that some sectors join the communist terrorist movement are not true.

"Kung makikita natin, sinasabi noong araw na (In the past,  poverty is being drummed up as) the root cause. I beg to disagree. Poverty is not the root cause. Poverty is just among the issues being exploited to generate public hatred so that revolution will start," he added.

The CPP-NPA, he said, is using every opportunity brought by the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic to generate and stir hatred against the government for even the slightest error in its response.

"(So whatever program the government has for the people, they will look for faults, even the slightest ones, and magnify it. Their intent is to generate hatred against our government)," he added.

He's not exactly wrong here. The CPP does not care for the current status quo. They hate it. But it's not a blind hatred sans ideology as the one officer declares.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1145360

The New People’s Army (NPA) is simply a bunch of terrorists without ideologies, contrary to the rebels’ claim.

Brig. Gen. George Banzon, commander of the Philippine Army’s 901st Infantry Brigade, said the NPA’s recent attacks in Surigao del Sur proved anew the senseless existence of the communist terrorist group (CTG).

He was referring to the June 19 attack in a prawn pond in Malimono town, causing about PHP8.5 million in losses, and the torching of construction equipment and killing of the site’s caretaker in Lanuza on June 24.

Both businesses refused to give in to the NPA’s extortion demands.

“Sa ngayon, talagang (Now, this truly) this represents the true color of the New People’s Army as a terrorist. Iyung (Their) acts engaged nila lately simply manifested that they are indeed terrorists,” Banzon said during the “Tagged! Debunking Lies By Telling The Truth” virtual press conference led by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Monday.

Lt. Jonard Requina of the Malimono Police Station said the attacks and harassment were done after failed extortion tries.

The picture these men are trying to paint of the CPP-NPA is that of unprincipled criminals. Nihilists in fact. While it may be true that not everyone in the NPA is spouting a strictly Marxist line it would be untrue to apply that image to the entire CPP. They do hate the current system and they want to replace it with the one envisaged in their CASER agreement which is fundamental to any peace talks. This week the CPP even released a statement on the centennial of the Chinese Communist Party.

https://cpp.ph/statements/on-the-centennial-of-the-once-great-communist-party-of-china

The Filipino working class joins the Chinese proletariat and people in commemorating the 100th anniversary of the once great and correct Communist Party of China (CPC) by reaffirming our adherence to Marxism-Leninism-Maoism and the necessity of waging socialist revolution to end all forms of exploitation and oppression, and rejecting modern revisionism and the restoration of capitalism in China.

The CPC has abandoned the international proletarian cause. Instead, it is now engaged in export of capital, international usury and debt traps for underdeveloped countries and expansion of international spheres of investment and influence, overseas deployment of military forces and armed aggression beyond its territory. It uses finance capital to influence and direct the economic policy and control resources of smaller countries. It has trampled on Philippine sovereignty by constructing artificial islands in the territorial waters and exclusive economic zone of the country to erect military facilities and claim marine and mineral resources.

That article is a scathing condemnation of China as having abandoned communism and replacing it with something altogether different. It's indicative that the CPP is not at all unprincipled but that they do have an ideology. This is simply more propaganda from the AFP. Or perhaps the AFP does not understand their enemy.

Food is always a great tool to control people. What better way to fight the NPA than to take their food?

https://www.kalinawnews.com/npa-supply-of-food-diminishes-as-troops-recover-food-cache/

Troops of 25th Infantry Battalion, Intel Operatives of this unit and higher headquarters discovered ten (10) containers of thirty (30) Liters Plastic Gallons of Rice at Brgy. Mt. Diwata, Monkayo, Davao de Oro on 30 June 2021. The recovery of Food Cache was through the revelation of a Former Rebel who was a former member of the North Front, SRC 1 of SMRC who operates in some portion of the municipality. This food cache was buried by the members of North Front, SRC 1, SMRC led by alyas Jake, the Front Secretary sometime in the year 2018.

This recovery of the front’s supply of food will cause the weakening of their members as they suffer hunger and sickness that will eventually stop them from spreading their wrong and nonsense ideologies and prevent them from affecting the communities through their lies and deceit. Also through the help of the people in the area, this cache was recovered successfully and clearly manifests that the communities also cooperated in preventing the CPP-NPA-NDF from entering their area again as they denounce NPA’s presence in their barangay and declaring them as Persona Non-Grata. It can be recalled that in March 2018, almost 2,000 Former NPA Mass Supporters, Milisyang Bayan, and Regular NPA members in the whole municipality of Monkayo, Davao de Oro voluntarily surrendered to this unit after realizing the futility of their cause in the organization.

The food was buried in 2018 so if these people were not starved out by now then this cache probably won't matter much in that regard. However, there are other reports that the NPA is being starved out because of a lack of food due to decreased community support.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1145901

The Police Regional Office in Caraga (PRO-13) has warned its personnel to be on alert in the wake of a new threat by the communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the area.

The warning came after PRO-13 received information from individuals on the NPA plan to attack police personnel even in their residences.

In a statement Saturday, PRO-13 Director Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr. told the police personnel to take precautionary measures and intensify intelligence gathering to monitor the movements of the NPA insurgents in their respective areas of responsibility.

“The NPA movement is now affected by the series of surrenders of their members and supporters. They attacked and destroyed equipment and businesses due to their failure to extract money extortions,” Caramat said.

He added that the recent attacks made by the NPA were to show the public that they are still intact and powerful.

“These are all for the shows because, in reality, the NPA rebels are now slowing down due to the withdrawal of support of their mass organizations,” Caramat said.

The remaining guerrillas are also experiencing hardships and hunger due to the difficulties they encounter in securing food and other needs due to the pandemic, he added.

“With the grueling situation they face, our informants said that the NPA rebels are now eyeing soft targets to inflict damages in urban centers through their special units. The insurgents are also planning to sabotage and attack vital infrastructure and installations in the region,” he said.

He added that as a countermeasure, the different police stations and units in Caraga are ordered to intensify their coordination with the other security sectors, particularly with the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Others have also declared that recent attacks by the NPA were just for show but what does that even mean? That they should not be taken seriously? Here the police chief is saying that the NPA is really weak and that all the attacks are all for show and yet warning that the NPA is planning to attack PNP officers at their homes and to sabotage infrastructure. He can't have it both ways. 

It appears that terrorists in the North are also on the verge of collapse.

https://www.kalinawnews.com/communist-terrorists-in-the-north-on-the-verge-of-total-collapse/

Northern Luzon Command Chief, Lieutenant General Arnulfo Marcelo B Burgos Jr. on Friday revealed that the communist terrorist groups in Northern and Central Luzon are on the verge of total collapse as the intensified security operations continue to gain grounds in the region.

The statement was made following the influx of surrenders from the ranks of the communist rebels and withdrawal of support by party members of the communist terrorist affiliated mass organizations all over Northern and Central Luzon. 

As per the record of NOLCOM for the 2nd quarter, 205 communist rebels surrendered along with 109 firearms, 143 of which are regular NPA members while 62 are members of the Milisyang Bayan. The most recent of which is the surrender of five (5) regular members of the communist rebels and one Milisyang Bayan on June 30, 2021, at Barangay Balagan, San Mariano, Isabela. They yielded five firearms, 100 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, and 12 improvised explosive devices. 

Lieutenant General Burgos in his statement emphasized that they are at the “forefront in the campaign to end the local communist armed conflict in Northern and Central Luzon”, he cited that, “around 2 to 3 communist rebels surrendered to the government troops every day with a firearm being surrendered every day. This is a clear indication that it is just a matter of time that these communist terrorist groups will be defeated.”

If every single NPA member surrendered tomorrow thus ending the communist insurgency that would not mean they were defeated. It's pretty sad that it appears this is how the AFP is seeking to end the insurgency, by having everyone surrender and partake of the E-CLIP program. That is the official stance of the Commander-in-Chief, President Duterte.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1145035

Surrender, give up your weapons, and the government will support you.

President Rodrigo Duterte made the offer anew to New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, assuring them of free housing, financial and food assistance, in a speech delivered during the launch and oath-taking ceremony of officers of the Global Coalition of Lingkod Bayan Advocacy support groups and force multipliers at the Philippine National Police Multipurpose Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City on Friday.

Duterte said insurgents who want to reintegrate into mainstream society will undergo skills training under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

“Ang deal ko sa (My deal to) surrenderers, if you surrender, I will automatically give you a place to stay. Then, I will send you to Tesda under Secretary (Isidro) Lapeña. You learn the basic of whatever educational study that you can master. For the time being, I will pay you and I will support you with a food sustenance,” he said.

Duterte said members of the Communist Party of the Philippines’ (CPP) armed wing, NPA, must also “drop [their] arms.”

He stressed that “surrender without arms is not good to [him].”

“Because nothing changes the equation up in the mountains,” Duterte said. “If the firearms are still there and they come down to surrender, minus the arms, then nothing has changed in the equation, in the totality.”

Duterte said the CPP’s politburo or the policymakers are earning billions of pesos at the expense of poor NPA bandits.

He said NPA guerillas must be enlightened by the “sad story of the CPP”.

“The politburo’s families and members, children are all abroad, enjoying the fat of the land from the Communist Party of the Philippines. ‘Yung mga anak nila (Their children) are studying in Europe, London. Some of them [are] traveling,” he said.

Duterte also cited intelligence reports that “a group” of politburo’s children went to Turkey upon the invitation of the government.

“And yet, their [NPA] soldiers down on the ground are dying sometimes without eating a day or two days,” he said. “Iyan ang hindi alam ng pobreng kawal ng sundalo (That’s what their poor bandits do not know). And this must be brought to life para malaman nila ang totoo (for them to know the truth).”

How exactly are the CPP's policymakers earning billions? The AFP has said time and again that the CPP-NPA has lost popular support. So, where is the money coming from? And who exactly did Turkey invite to visit? One has to wonder what the point of that statement is when attack helicopters purchased from Turkey will be arriving in the Philippines later this year. These are tantalizing questions that deserve concrete answers. But we likely will never receive those answers.