A new date has been set for an insurgency-free Philippines. It is 2028. Actually that is merely a possible date. It's not impossible anyway.
The goal of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s administration to make the Philippines insurgency-free by the end of 2028 is not impossible.
Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the government’s convergence efforts can turn the vision into reality.
“In my assessment, it is very achievable because we can see that the country’s economy is promising,” he said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
“At the same time, we see that the national agencies are now getting together to have a convergence to solve the basic issues and the drivers of conflict.”
He commended the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police for ensuring that significant progress is made to weaken insurgent forces across the country.
From more than 80 guerrilla fronts, the active ones are now mainly in Samar, Bicol Region and Negros Island, Galvez noted.
He cited the Davao Region where the New People’s Army used to hold sway.
The Regional Peace and Order Council-Davao declared the entire region cleared of insurgents as of Sept. 19, 2022.
It was the third region in the country declared as insurgency-free following the Ilocos Region and Zamboanga Peninsula.
“We don’t hear of or see engagements anymore. Mostly, what we talk about are what livelihood projects we can provide,” he said.
Galvez said the comprehensive approach of the military, along with non-combat strategies, encouraged many rebels to return to mainstream society.
The government’s amnesty program has also allowed former rebels to regain their political and civil rights, Galvez said.
This goal is achievable because the economy is promising? How exactly will that draw the NPA remnant out of the mountains? Surely it has nothing to do with Marcos' term ending in 2028. Don't forget every single President since Cory Aquino promised to end the insurgency by the end of their term. It's just a coincidence. Right?
The Zamboanga Peninsula has been declared NPA-free after the surrender of the last three remaining guerrillas.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1962772/military-declares-zamboanga-peninsula-npa-free |
The Army on Friday declared the entire Zamboanga Peninsula region as freed of the presence of communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.
This followed the surrender last week of three guerrillas who were described by Maj. Gen. Gabriel Viray III, commander of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division, as the last remaining holdouts of the communist rebellion in the region.
The regionwide declaration came three years after the province of Zamboanga del Sur was cited as NPA-free in 2021.
Viray presented the three former guerrillas to the public on Friday and identified them as Niel Baron alias “Jundy,” 28; his wife Judith Ayas, alias “Crismae” and “Jeepey,” 26; and Alberto Lumamba, alias “Jack” and “Joven,” 35.
He said the three used to be the NPA’s Guerrilla Front BBC or “Big Beautiful Country” that operated in the adjoining mountains of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Misamis Occidental provinces.
After the front was dismantled, the three joined the remaining forces of the Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee, Viray said.
Baron, who used to be a squad leader, brought along an M16A1 rifle with ammunition; Ayas turned in an M1911 .45-caliber pistol with ammunition; and Lumamba an M16 rifle with ammunition.
Baron had been a guerrilla for 12 years and currently faces four criminal charges, mostly attempted murder. Ayas was with the NPA for seven years and has 10 criminal cases. Lumamba, who used to be a commanding officer of a guerrilla unit, has been a rebel for 13 years and has four cases for attempted murder.
Zamboanga del Sur Gov. Victor Yu said the legal cluster of the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict as well as the provincial government’s lawyers were ready to assist the three former rebels with their pending criminal cases filed in various courts in Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur.
The provincial government will aid in their transition to civilian life by providing them opportunities for education and skills training, apart from immediate financial assistance, he added.
Lt. Col. Terence Ylanan, commanding officer of the Army’s 53rd Infantry Battalion, said the three could also avail of the amnesty offered by the government and the military will help in their application.
Every single one of these men is facing criminal cases but the provincial government is going to help them transition into civilian life by providing money and training. What about their criminal cases? What about justice for the people they harmed? They can apply for amnesty and that will be the end of that.
Two more town in Eastern Samar have been declared insurgency-free.
Two more towns in Eastern Samar have been formally declared completely free from the threats of the New People's Army (NPA), the Philippine Army said on Wednesday.
In a statement on Wednesday, Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, commander of the Philippine Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade, said the declaration led by the town mayors of Hernani and Maydolong marked a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to maintain peace and stability.
“With no sightings of armed rebels for several years now, these towns have achieved insurgency-free status and, officially, stable internal peace and security conditions (SIPS),” Vestuir said.
A town earns SIPC status if there has been no NPA activity in the area in the past two years, and no resident is identified as an active armed rebel, the 802nd Infantry Brigade commander told the Philippine News Agency in a text message.
Ceremonies were held on July 23 to highlight the declarations, which included the signing of memoranda of agreements and pledges of commitment, along with the simultaneous release of white doves, symbolizing peace and new beginnings.
The Army official disclosed that the NPA platoon running in the mountains of Eastern Samar and Samar provinces has significantly weakened this year.
From 47 members with 43 firearms in the third quarter of 2023, Apoy Platoon's strength dropped to just 16 members with 25 firearms as of the second week of June 2024.
Most have surrendered under the Friends Rescued Engagement through their Families initiative.
Where do they get those doves from?
The Army says the NPA in Eastern Samar has weakened to just 16 members as of June 2024. During his State of the Nation Address President Marcos noted there are only 7 active guerrilla fronts left.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1963882/only-7-weakened-npa-guerrilla-fronts-remain-says-marcos |
There are only seven weakened communist New People’s Army guerrilla fronts in the country.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. bared this during his third State of the Nation Address (Sona).
“No guerilla front remains active in our country today, only seven weak fronts to be dismantled, and they are the subject of focused operations,” Marcos said in his Sona.
A weakened guerrilla front means it can no longer implement its programs like recruitment and generating resources for the armed struggle as opposed to active guerrilla fronts, according to the AFP.
The NPA, which wages the world’s longest Maoist insurgency, was established on March 29, 1969.
As of December 2023, the NPA is now down to about 1,200 fighters, far from its peak of around 25,000 in 1987, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Oh, my bad. Only seven WEAKENED fronts. That means they are not active and "can no longer implement its programs like recruitment and generating resources." So, why does the AFP and the NTF-ELCAC continue to want about recruitment? These groups can either not recruit or they can. Which is it?
The AFP likes to say the NPA is without leadership but that is not the case. If that were true then who was an NPA squad leader killed in a recent clash?
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1229833 |
A top leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) died in a clash between government forces and rebels in the upland Osmeña village in General MacArthur, Eastern Samar on Thursday.
The Philippine Army's 78th Infantry Battalion (78IB) identified the slain rebel as Joel Guarino alias Duran, the squad leader of squad 2 of the recently dismantled Apoy Platoon of the NPA.
Lt. Col. Joseph Bugaoan said in a statement that government forces had an armed encounter with a band of seven NPA combatants early Thursday while troops were conducting development and security operations in the upland village of General MacArthur.
No one was hurt from the government side during the 20-minute firefight.
After the clash, soldiers recovered several war paraphernalia, including one caliber .45 pistol, one homemade grenade, various war materials, and documents with high intelligence value.
Bugaoan attributed the successful operation to the collective effort of the community and the government to finally end the local communist armed conflict.
“The people tipped off the presence of these NPAs, that is why our soldiers were able to track their movement. But they were fired upon when the rebels saw the incoming troops,” Bugaoan said in an update sent to reporters Thursday night.
Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, commander of the Army's 802nd Infantry Brigade, commended the troops for tracking the remnants of the recently dismantled Apoy platoon.
“The neutralization of Guarino left the remnants of the newly dismantled platoon leaderless and without direction. Now, they have become just a roving band of bandits, hiding in the mountains to survive,” Vestuir said.
The Apoy platoon has only 15 remaining members as of mid-2024.
He said this is another breakthrough in their campaign to win peace in the province of Eastern Samar as he calls for the remaining members to give up the armed struggle now that their leader is gone.
How many more non-existent leaders are left?
Two more towns in Basilan have been declared Abu Sayyaf-free. First is Ungkaya Pukan.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2024/7/22/basilan-town-declared-abu-sayyaf-free |
The municipality of Ungkaya Pukan in Basilan, once a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf Group, was declared as ASG-free during a ceremony held at the municipal hall in Barangay Bohe Pahu last Friday, July 19.
During the ceremony, municipal officials turned over a 60-mm mortar to Brig. Gen. Alvin Luzon, 101st Infantry Brigade commander.
The weapon will be processed under the Small Arms and Light Weapons Management Program and the Assistance of the Security, Peace, Integration, and Recovery for Advancing Human Security in BARMM project.
The municipality has been the site of several clashes between the military and the terrorist group.
In June 2023, Abu Sayyaf leader Nurudin Muddalan was killed in a gun battle with police who were trying to arrest him.
In July 2016, some 200 members of the Abu Sayyaf Group attacked the headquarters of the Philippine Army 18th Infantry Battalion.
Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. William Gonzales commended the local government unit and different sectors for the fruitful collaboration which led to the declaration.
“My appreciation goes to 101st Brigade and the local government units of Ungkaya Pukan for their relentless and collaborative efforts. May we all continue to purvey the message of peace and patriotism that is forever engraved in the hearts of public servants,” said Gonzales.
The second is Al-Barka.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/regionaltv/news/103063/al-barka-basilan-declared-asg-free/story/ |
The town of Al-Barka in Basilan was declared free of the presence of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) on Tuesday, July 23, 2024.
According to the military, Al-Barka has a long history of violence involving the ASG but government forces were able to suppress the ASF influence and presence in the town.
The 101st Infantry Brigade said the declaration of the town as ASG-free marked a significant step towards lasting peace and progress.
“The collective efforts of the local government, security forces, and the community serve as a beacon of hope and resilience, paving the way for a brighter future,” 101st Infantry Brigade said.
During the ceremony, some residents surrendered seven firearms, including an M1 Garand rifle and pistols. The turnover of guns showed the town’s commitment to peace and the desire to move forward in building a safer and more secure environment for the generations to come.
The event was attended by local government leaders, police and military officials, and members of the 114th Base Command of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces-Moro Islamic Liberation Front (BIAF-MILF) and Jihada Mindanao Command of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
The military urged the residents to ensure that peace and development will be sustained in the town.
Don't forget the province of Basilan was declared Abu-Sayyaf free in 2022.
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