Insurgency: Mindanao Insurgency at the ‘Outset of Extinction’

In 2023 the communist rebels and the Philippine government agreed to resume peace talks. These talks have not begun in earnest but that is not stopping the government from declaring they are confident a peace deal will be signed by the end of Marcos' term. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1979177/marcos-govt-confident-it-could-sign-peace-deal-with-cpp-npa

The Marcos administration is confident that it could sign the final peace agreement with the Communist Party of the Philippines-National People’s Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDFP).

Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (PAPRU) Carlito Galvez Jr. made the pronouncement after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier declared that he would push for peace agreements with rebel groups.

“Very, very optimistic. Yes, within the term of the President – or even before the term ends,” Galvez said at a Palace briefing on Monday.

(So, right now our constituency building and exploratory talks are still ongoing.)

Galvez also said Marcos is “very committed” to finishing all agreements and implementing it during his term.

“So, that is his guidance to us and we are more than happy and inspired [that] we commit to the aspiration of the President and the national government that we will finish the final peace agreement with the CPP-NPA in the future,” he added.

Exploratory talks are still ongoing. That means nothing has changed. What would change? To recall the CPP-NDFP wants the CASER signed into law. That is a non-negotiable for them and a condition the government has rejected. So, on what exactly is the government hoping a peace agreement will be signed by the end of Marcis' term? Probably because ending the insurgency has been the stated goal of every President since Marcos Sr. 

The same man hopeful for a peace deal says the insurgency in Mindanao is almost extinct. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/9/4/mindanao-insurgency-at-the-outset-of-extinction-galvez

Gone are the days that Mindanao has scary connotations of conflict and terrorism.

Thus, said Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. on Wednesday, Sept. 4, as he expressed belief that the insurgency problem that has hounded the country’s southern island group is now coming to an end.

“Yes, I can say that the insurgency there is already at the outset of extinction considering that the Bangsamoro people already decided to reconcile with the government,” Galvez said during the Kapihan sa Manila Hotel media forum.

The peace adviser shared that the gains were the result of the national government’s efforts to win back Moro separatist groups, beginning with the signing of the 1976 Tripoli Agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to establish the now-defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), up to the inking of the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which led to the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Following the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in 2018, which serves as the basis for the creation of the BARMM, Galvez said that incidents of kidnappings and other terror attacks have gone down.

“There are a lot of members of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), our sisters and brothers from the Maute and BIFF [Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters], they decided already to lay down their firearms and reconcile with the government,” he noted.

Since the BOL’s ratification, Galvez said that 26,145 combatants from the MILF and 1,200 ASG and Maute fighters have been decommissioned while more than 4,000 firearms were decommissioned.

“We have seen that the people want to embrace peace because they realized that Mindanao has a lot of potential,” Galvez said.

According to Galvez, no major conflict has occurred in Mindanao since the 2017 Marawi siege.

He said that Sulu and Basilan have already been declared ASG-free while Tawi-Tawi is already conducive to national development after receiving “billions of investments” from the Asian Development Bank. 

Now that peace has started to set in, Galvez said that economic development is starting to follow.

He said that Bangsamoro’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2021 reached 7.5 percent, making it the second fastest moving region in terms of economic mobility. On the other hand, the poverty incidence went down from 56 percent to 26 percent.

“We have seen that the economy in Bangsamoro is improving. The whole Mindanao is really booming. The conflict is now ending and there is now a new beginning of peace and development in Mindanao,” Galvez said.

This declaration goes beyond the NPA and includes the Muslim Insurgency. While Galvez declares the insurgency is ending he seems to forget the ever present assassinations and ridos which plague the area. Mindanao is by no means conflict free and it won't be for some time. 

The fight against the NPA goes on. In Panay 19 rebels were neutralized from July 29th to August 31st. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/9/3/19-npa-rebels-in-panay-negros-neutralized

Nineteen New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were neutralized in the islands of Panay and Negros from July 29 to August 31.

The 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army engaged communist rebels in 14 encounters.

Thirteen of the NPA fatalities were from Panay Island and six were from Negros Island.

“When the loudest clarion call sounds, we rise above any situation and deliver the best results, no matter the circumstances,” said Major Gen. Marion Sison, 3rd ID commander.

“The quality of our work remains consistent and unprecedented, leading to victories one after another,” added Sison.

Among the NPA rebels killed was Maria Concepcion Araneta-Bocala or “Ka Concha.” She died in an encounter with the 82nd Infantry Battalion under the 301st Infantry Brigade on August 15 in Lambunao, Iloilo.

Bocala, former secretary general of the NPA in Panay Island, was considered the most wanted communist rebel in the Visayas with a bounty of P5.3 million.

Two other key NPA leaders were neutralized along with Bocala – Vivian Torato Teodosio and Vicente Hinojales.

Soldiers also captured 30 firearms from the NPA during the period.

Neutralized here appears to mean killed and not surrendered. 

In Northern Samar the AFP continues to clash with the NPA. After a recent incident they were able to recover a few weapons and important documents. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1232683

The Philippine Army has recovered a banned anti-personnel mine, a rifle, and personal belongings after a clash with the New People's Army (NPA) in the upland Roxas village in Catubig, Northern Samar on Wednesday.

The Army's 20th Infantry Battalion reported on Thursday that clearing operations after an armed encounter have led to the recovery of an explosive, an M653 assault rifle, 11 backpacks, a mobile phone, a tablet, and several important documents.

"The recovery of components for anti-personnel mines is a clear violation of international law and underscores the ruthlessness of this terrorist group," said the Philippine Army's 20th Infantry Battalion commander, Lt. Col. Richard Villaflor.

The official believes that rebels left the explosives, firearms, and personal belongings to flee from pursuing soldiers after a 15-minute clash on Wednesday.

Villaflor emphasized the severe threat these banned weapons pose to both military personnel and civilians.

"Their use of these inhumane weapons endangers innocent lives and directly undermines our efforts to secure peace and development in the Second District of Northern Samar," he added.

In response to these findings, the 20IB has reiterated its call for all communities within its area of operations to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities or the presence of armed groups.

"We urge our communities not to hesitate in reporting similar incidents. Your cooperation is vital to our mission to protect our people and maintain peace," Villaflor added.

Soldiers traced the location of rebels belonging to the NPA sub-regional guerilla unit of the front committee-15 through information from residents of Roxas village. No one was hurt during the brief clash between soldiers and rebels.

In Laguna the AFP uncovered a whole cache of weapons after being led to them by a former rebel. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1232475

A former communist terrorist group (CTG) supporter helped the Army's 80th Infantry Battalion seize a significant number of firearms and explosives in Barangay Puray, Rodriguez town, Rizal province on Sunday.

Brig. Gen. Cerilo Balaoro Jr., commander of the 202nd Infantry Brigade, said in a statement Monday that information from the ex-rebel supporter led to the discovery of the war materiel belonging to the former Komiteng Larangan Gerilya Narciso (KLG-Narciso) under the Sub-Regional Military Area 4A (SRMA-4A) of the Philippine Army.

The recovered items included two M16 rifles, one M653 rifle with ammunition and magazines, one shotgun, and one improvised explosive device (IED), according to Balaoro.

The operation highlighted the commitment of the 80IB to maintain peace and security in the region, as well as the resolve of former CTG supporters to prevent violence from resurfacing in their communities, he added.

“We remain steadfast in our mission to protect the people and uphold peace in our area of responsibility,” he said, even as he urged the public to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activities to authorities.

He called on the remaining active CTG members and their supporters to choose the path of peace and reconciliation.

This kind of event, a former rebel leading the AFP to a weapons cache, happens very often. That means there are likely many more caches buried throughout the nation.

There's a new member of the NTF-ELCAC.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1980567/explain-this-dost-part-of-anti-red-task-force

This one might really take rocket science to explain.

The head of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on Thursday told lawmakers that it was now part of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac), a body dating back to the previous administration and long criticized for “Red-tagging” perceived supporters of the leftist insurgency.

However, Science Secretary Renato Solidum admitted in a public hearing that “In reality, it’s not really very clear to me” what the DOST is supposed to contribute to the task force.

Speaking at a House committee deliberations on the proposed DOST budget for 2025, Solidum said it was “likely” the agency was “tapped” to help communities prioritized by the task force for disaster management, environmental protection, health and nutrition, and education.

“We do have projects, whether they’re here or there; whatever (the beneficiaries’) beliefs are, we assist them,” he said in answer to questions from Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel.

“We have various programs, especially community empowerment through science and technology, so I think they needed us to look into how we could help further improve those communities we were already serving,” Solidum added.

The DOST, he said, received a letter late last year from the NTF-Elcac chair, national security adviser Eduardo Año, that it would now become part of the task force.

But Solidum said he had yet to attend any of its meetings.

“So it was not the DOST that volunteered to be part of the task force?” Manuel asked. “Is it more that the DOST was tapped?”

“The letter was sent to me asking if we could be a member,” Solidum replied.

Manuel raised the matter after Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) Chair Prospero de Vera III last week also confirmed that his agency had also been included in the task force to help it “disseminate information in universities and colleges.”

According to the party-list youth representative, the NTF-Elcac did not publicize the amendments to Executive Order No. 70, which was issued during the Duterte administration to create the task force.

“So what is happening is that it appears that the selection of which agencies will be part of the task force is arbitrary or highly discretionary,” Manuel said.

He and the other Makabayan bloc members—ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro and Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas have long been calling for NTF-Elcac’s “defunding.”

Its budget, they said, should instead be realigned to “genuine” social welfare programs or those not tied to what they called the “militarization” of communities rife with poverty and social injustice.

Aside from the DOST and CHEd, the Department of Migrant Workers was among the last agencies to be included in the task force.

But it appears the Department of Science and Technology was made a member of the NTF-ELCAC without their consent. The DOST Secretary has not even attended any meetings. Is this what the government means by the whole-of-nation approach to defeating the insurgency?