The Army has declared the Western and Central Visayas free from communist influence.
The Philippine Army announced Monday that Western and Central Visayas are no longer under the influence of communist terrorist groups (CTGs), marking a significant milestone in regional security.
Major Gen. Marion Sison, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), confirmed the dismantling of the Central and Southern Front in Panay Island.
Preparations are underway to declare the island under Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status.
“We do not have any CTG-influenced or affected areas,” he said in a statement.
He also noted the absence of reported extortion activities, such as "permit to campaign" or "permit to win," as the election period begins.Sison cautioned politicians against collaborating with CTGs, warning that any association would tarnish their reputations and political careers."Any support or involvement with CTGs will ultimately lead to your downfall. Giving in to their demands is a kiss of death," he said.
Meanwhile, in a press conference on Sunday, the commander of the Philippine Army’s 301st Brigade, Brig. Gen. Michael Samson said there are no more CTG threats in the municipality of Calinog, which was under the red category in the areas of concern released last week by the Commission on Elections.
“As of today, the threat level should not be red because that series of encounters (in August last year) resulted in the neutralization and the dismantling of the Central Front. Maybe we can downgrade that from red to yellow if the basis is the communist terrorist group or the New People’s Army. Again, the series of encounters that happened last August resulted in the neutralization and dismantling of the Central Front,” he said.
Basically they have declared victory over the NPA in the Visayas. That does not mean there are no NPA members left. It means they are no longer in control over any territory in the Visayas. We shall see how the plays out.
The Army has also said the NPA is not a threat to the 2025 elections.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1241682 |
The New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, no longer poses a threat to the conduct of the May 12 midterm elections, an Army official said on Monday.
Brig. Gen. Joey Escanillas, 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, said all three guerilla fronts of the NPA in Negros Island have been dismantled and “we see no serious threat from the CTGs (communist terrorist groups).”
While some NPA remnants are still active, recent military engagements in November and January led to the deaths of nine suspected rebels, forcing the insurgents into a defensive stance, especially in Negros Oriental.
Although certain areas in Negros Oriental were previously classified under code orange due to the presence of CTGs, Escanillas clarified that they were associated with past elections when the guerilla fronts were yet to be dismantled.
Escanillas said the Army has not detected extortion activities targeting candidates in the region’s upcoming elections.
The Philippine Army has deployed troops to assist the Commission on Elections and the Philippine National Police in ensuring security, including manning checkpoints and enforcing the gun ban during the election period from Jan. 12 to June 11.
Troop deployment will continue to adapt based on the evolving security situation.
The Army says they have not detected any serious threat or any extortion activities in the upcoming elections. Yet, the CPP has issued guidelines for politicians campaigning in red areas.
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| https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/amid-reactionary-polls-npa-must-enforce-policies-to-protect-peoples-welfare/ |
The reactionary mid-term election campaign is now underway with big warlords and political dynasties locking each other’s horns, trampling on the people’s welfare with their armed goons, police and military forces, as they fight for the spoils of the bureaucrat capitalist regime.
In the face of the reactionary election campaign, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) directs the New People’s Army (NPA) to ensure protection of the people’s rights and interests. Commands of the NPA at different levels across various regions must strictly enforce standing policies of the people’s democratic government in relation to the conduct of the reactionary elections within their areas of operation.
All candidates vying for seats in the reactionary government are to be reminded of these policies to ensure that the people’s welfare will be strictly enforced by the NPA within its revolutionary areas of operation. These candidates and their supporters will be allowed to conduct their election campaigns in accordance with established guidelines.
Among others, politicians are prohibited from bringing armed goons and police and military escorts that usually serve to intimidate the people. Other forms of coercion, use of armed violence will not be tolerated, especially by bureaucrat capitalists who use public funds against the people. The NPA has standing orders to seize the weapons of candidates and their armed goons.
The NPA is directed to target AFP and PNP units, as well as armed goons of reactionary politicians, who will use the election campaign in the guerrilla zones as cover for conducting surveillance operations against the Party, the NPA, the people’s democratic government and the revolutionary masses.
Before conducting their campaigns in the revolutionary areas, politicians are required to inform and coordinate with local NPA units. This coordination is crucial to avoid any incidents, including confrontations between armed goons of rival politicians.
We strongly condemn the scheme of the AFP to use the upcoming elections as cover for intensifying counterinsurgency operations marked by heightening political repression and reinforcing military control of rural villages. The objective of these operations is to suppress the people’s resistance and protect the interests of big landlords, big business and foreign mining corporations and plantations. In the past years, these operations have also been used to help the campaign of politicians favored by the military, especially those who have connived in the fascist campaign of suppression.
Despite repeatedly declaring that the NPA has only a single “weakened guerilla front,” the Philippine Army declared yesterday that its field units “remain on alert and will still conduct internal security operations” to ensure the election’s “peace and order.” These operations institutionalize the “guns, goons and gold” tactics that characterize past elections campaigns.
We strongly urge candidates to reject the offers of armed security by the AFP, as these are only being used by the military to carry out political repression. Combat units of the AFP are legitimate targets of the NPA.
The CPP, NPA and mass organizations affiliated with the NDF do not take part in the elections. The revolutionary forces will continue to wage people’s war against the reactionary neocolonial government of the ruling classes of big bourgeois compradors and big landlords.
From their revolutionary vantage, the Party provides critical analyses and insights into the reactionary elections, while highlighting the outstanding economic and political issues of the people and underscoring the need for them to collectively fight for their national and democratic interests, especially their demand for land reform and national industrialization.
These analyses help guide the people in their actions. Raising the people’s consciousness and strengthening their organized ranks are key in pushing for their demands, as they face, confront and challenge the reactionary elections, and intensify their fight against the fascist and corrupt US-Marcos regime, especially amid the worsening political and economic crisis.
It seems doubtful politicians will be coordinating with local NPA units.
There have been many calls to defund the NTF-ELCAC but they say that will impact disadvantaged communities.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1241604 |
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-EL CAC) on Monday scored efforts to defund the body, stressing that disadvantaged communities being aided by its programs would suffer from the move.
In a statement, NTF-ELCAC executive director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. said the task force, through the Barangay Development Development Program (BDP), has achieved in six years what the communist movement failed to deliver in its more than five decades of existence.
He was referring to the task force's efforts in addressing reasons that fueled civil unrest, rebuilding communities, and bringing development to "geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas" (GIDAS).
Despite these successes, Torres said the Makabayan Bloc is hell-bent on painting the task force as nothing more than a state mechanism for harassing activists.
"For many of these communities, the BDP became the first development program they have ever received, not because of government insensitivity but due to the armed rebellion that deprived the development projects for many decades. Roads, schools, and health centers continue to be built, and sustainable livelihoods are being introduced," Torres said.
Torres also touted the NTF-ELCAC's success in the past six years in uplifting the plights of the GIDAs, hence the repeated calls for its defunding.
Torres also claimed the group has resorted to deliberately distorting facts and outright lying to undermine the BDP.
"They have falsely claimed that the NTF-ELCAC holds and controls the funds for BDP, fueling misconceptions that these funds are misused to harass activists rather than serve their intended purpose. In truth, the funds for the BDP are managed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, a member agency of the task force. The BDP is monitored through a third-party mechanism involving civil society organizations, providing an additional safeguard against misuse," he added.
He said the NTF-ELCAC builds and uplifts what the communist insurgents destroy and oppress.
"To defund it would be to abandon the communities that need it most, leaving them vulnerable once again to the false promises of a failed revolution," Torres said.
This just only proves that community development is a counter-insurgency program and not a standard development program. Why do these communities pay taxes if they don't reap the benefits except as a way to beat the NPA? Development should be an ongoing thing.
In Leyte the Army has unearthed an arms cache.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1241625 |
The Philippine Army unearthed over the weekend an arms cache belonging to the New People’s Army (NPA) in the upland village of Mahilum in Hindang, Leyte.
Government troops found the arms cache containing one M60 machine gun, one M16 rifle, and one M14 rifle as part of the intensified operations aimed at dismantling the dwindling NPA forces in the region.
Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, commander of the Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade, said on Monday the discovery is a result of continuous dialogue and consultations with former rebels in the bid to hunt the remnants of NPA’s Island Committee (IC) Levox, operating in the mountains of Leyte Island.
These former rebels revealed the identities of existing contacts of the remnants of the IC Levox in the areas where they seek refuge as they continue to evade the government operating forces, according to the official.
Vestuir said the continuous cooperation and collaboration of former rebels are vital components of their strategy to achieve lasting peace in the region.
“They are more knowledgeable on the human and physical terrain in the areas they used to hide, and they are the best people that could help us in our efforts to convince their former comrades to join them in the mainstream of our society,” he told the Philippine News Agency.
The official commended the troops for gaining the trust and cooperation of former NPA members, local government units, and the community, transforming them into valuable partners in the pursuit of peace in the region.
“To the government troops, this is a positive sign for the start of the year 2025, as we will continue to dedicate our utmost service to attain peace and development in our area of responsibility,” Vestuir added.
He again urged the remnants of NPAs to heed the call of their former comrades, families, friends, relatives, and loved ones to abandon the armed struggle and grab the opportunity extended by the government.
Once again, with the help of former rebels.
The Anti-Terrorism Act has been law since 2020 and yet only now has the DOJ come out with "the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for "precise and coordinated efforts" in the handling of terrorism and terrorism financing cases."
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| https://mb.com.ph/2025/1/17/gov-t-adopts-standard-operating-procedures-on-terrorism-cases |
Government agencies, led by the Department of Justice (DOJ), came out with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for "precise and coordinated efforts" in the handling of terrorism and terrorism financing cases.
“The evolving nature of terrorism requires adaptable strategies,” declared Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla during the signing ceremony at of the memorandum of agreement (MOU) on SOPs at the DOJ.
“The SOPs provide clear guidance to ensure swift and coordinated actions against terrorism enablers, leading to more successful prosecutions and increased public confidence in our justice system,” Remulla said.
The MOU "formalizes the Department of Justice’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for terrorism and terrorism financing cases, and the initiative reinforces our commitment to addressing these threats through precise and coordinated actions,” he also said.
Apart from Remulla, the MOU was signed by representatives from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), Philippine National Police (PNP), Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
The MOU was also signed by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Philippines Country Manager Daniele Marchesi and Australian Ambassador Hae Kyong Yu who both supported and provided technical expertise during the creation of the SOPs.
Remulla said: "No single nation can combat terrorism alone. The transnational nature of terrorism financing necessitates building stronger alliances, deepening partnerships, and supporting one another in this shared mission. Our collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Government of Australia exemplifies how global solidarity can amplify our capacity to dismantle these networks."
By aligning the SOPs with international standards, Remulla said “we ensure the Philippines plays a significant role in the global fight against terrorism.”
“Through mutual legal assistance, intelligence-sharing, and cross-border investigations, we strengthen our collective ability to disrupt financial flows that enable acts of terror,” he stressed.
In a statement, the DOJ explained that the SOPs provide “clear, actionable guidelines for case build-up, evidence handling, and inter-agency coordination.”
“They aim to strengthen the handling of complex cases while safeguarding human rights, including due process protections,” it said.
“Key guardrails include strict adherence to rights against unlawful detention, personal data protection in line with international privacy standards, and mechanisms to prevent coercion or the use of evidence obtained through torture,” it also said.
For cases involving vulnerable groups or witnesses, the DOJ said “the SOPs introduce additional protections, such as access to psychological support and confidentiality measures.”
“The SOPs not only address the Philippines' efforts to exit the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) 'grey list' but also aim to build a sustainable framework for combating terrorism and terrorism financing,” it said.
“This framework emphasizes coordination, accountability, and respect for human rights,” it added.
Why did it take 5 years for this to happen?
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| https://mb.com.ph/2025/1/16/solon-s-aide-2-others-face-raps-for-terror-financing-1 |
An aide of Aklan 2nd District Rep. Teodorico Haresco Jr. and two other persons have been charged before the Department of Justice (DOJ) for allegedly financing the terrorist group Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
Named respondents were Haresco's aide Benjie Tocol, Rosanna Inaudito, and Jose Edwin Guillen.
The complaint-affidavit for alleged violation of Section 8(ii) of Republic Act No. 10168, the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012 (TFPSA), was filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).
“Respondents have conspired and mutually helped each other in the commission of the crime. There is unit of purpose manifested by their acts of having provided and made available to a designated organization any property or funds of financial services or other related services to the CPP-NPA, a designated and/or identified person, organization, association or group of persons,” the complaint-affidavit stated.
It alleged that Tocol gave “groceries and cash money to Jose Edwin alias Ruben Lorca/Arsen/Dagul through Brince Gegodas sometime in the second week of April 2023 at the Ceres Terminal in Kalibo, Aklan.”
It claimed that Tocol and Guillen conspired “to collect money through extortion with the intent that the money would be used to support the NPA organization last June 27, 2023 at Barangay Calangcang, Makato, Aklan.”
The case was filed after NPA member Brince Gegodas was convicted last Sept. 2 for violating Sec. 6 of the TFPSA and rebellion under Article 135(2) of Revised Penal Code (RPC) following the court’s approval of the plea bargaining deal he made with the prosecution.
Gegodas was arrested during an entrapment operation on June 27, 2023 that was conducted by the PNP and the Philippine Army in Makato, Aklan for trying to extort P1.5 million contractor Engr. Nestor Victor Gonzales Rodriguez in exchange for not disrupting his projects.
The complaint-affidavit stated that “Gegodas reached out to authorities conveying that he will identify those who ordered and instructed him to pick up the money from Engineer Rodriguez’s representative.”
“In said affidavit, Gegodas recounted how Benjie and alias Ruben Lorca/Dagul/Arsen instructed him on getting the money they demanded from their victim,” the complaint-affidavit also stated.
At the same time, the complaint stated that Gegodas also offered his confiscated three mobile phones for examination and to show his communications with Tocol.
“On Engineer Rodriguez’s affidavit he stated that he knew the number 096364242003 belongs to Benjie Tocol as the same had been used by Tocol multiple times in contacting Engineer Rodriguez,” it added.
During the investigation, the counter-affidavit stated it was also discovered that Tocol was found aboard his black Toyota Hilux on June 27, 2023 within the “cordoned” area where the entrapment operation against Gegodas took place.
However, at that time, Tocol was allowed by the police to leave the area since he has not yet been suspected to be involved in the extortion attempt, it also stated.
Now those accused of terrorism and terror financing such as these men will get a fair shake.
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