Seven towns in Leyte Province will be declared insurgency-free on June 20th. They are waiting so all seven towns can hold a joint declaration in the name of unity against the insurgency.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1251464 |
At least seven towns in Leyte will be officially declared as completely free from threats of the New People's Army on June 20.
Mayor Remedios Petilla of Palo town, president of the League of Municipalities Leyte chapter, said all the towns in the first congressional district of the province passed the criteria to be declared as having Stable Internal Peace and Security Condition (SIPSC).
"The mayors decided to hold joint declarations to show that we have a unified commitment to peace and security," she said in an interview Wednesday.
The event at Palo Gym in Palo town will bring together town mayors, municipal council members, and village chiefs from Alangalang, Babatngon, Palo, Sta. Fe, Tanauan, San Miguel, and Tolosa.
SIPSC is a status jointly declared by the Philippine Army and local governments for areas where there has been no New People's Army (NPA) activity for several years and no residents are identified as members or supporters of armed rebels.
“The declaration of SIPSC in the first district of Leyte is a collective effort of their local leaders to maintain peace in the area that the people have been enjoying for years,” Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, commander of the Philippine Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade, said in a phone interview.
Vestuir said the achievement of a state of stable internal peace and security is the result of the cooperation and efforts of local government entities and their communities.
The military said several areas in the region have long been peaceful; hence, the declaration of the SIPS status is a formal and official manifestation of the commitment of local leaders and people to sustain the peace and never allow any threat group to gain a foothold in their communities.
The military says the areas have long been peaceful but don't say how long. They talk of never allowing"any threat group to gain a foothold in their communities" which would seem to mean there are still remnants scattered about.
In Northern Samar 4 NPA fighters have been killed will 2 surrendered during clashes with the AFP.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1251470 |
Four members of the New People’s Army were killed while two others surrendered during a series of clashes with government troops in an upland area of Catubig, Northern Samar on Tuesday.
The six neutralized armed rebels are among the approximately 30 NPA members from the regional guerrilla unit and sub-regional committee Arctic under the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee who clashed with soldiers.
The Army’s 8th Infantry Division reported on Wednesday that clashes erupted following reports from residents about the presence of armed men allegedly conducting extortion activities in the area.
At least three firearms were seized during the series of clashes in Nagoocan village in Catubig town.
Authorities are working to identify the slain rebels and are coordinating with local officials to notify their families.
A day before the firefight, troops from the 20th Infantry Battalion discovered a cache of firearms and explosives in Roxas village, also in Catubig town, upon acting on the information given by a former NPA vice squad leader who voluntarily surrendered through the localized peace engagement.
Recovered are two M14 rifles, an M16 rifle, an M653 rifle, three improvised hand grenades, an empty M14 magazine, a bandolier, a pistol holster, and assorted medical paraphernalia and other items.
Maj. Gen. Adonis Ariel G. Orio, commander of the 8th Infantry Division, commended the joint efforts of the government and its partners in addressing the root causes of insurgency and promoting peace in the region.
“When individuals who once fought against us now stand with us, it changes the narrative about our organization and our mission,” Orio said. “E-CLIP (Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program) will continue to serve as our mission enabler -- offering not just holistic integration and livelihood support, but a renewed purpose.”
He assured residents of Northern Samar of the military’s unwavering commitment to peace and security and encouraged active NPA members to avail themselves of and take advantage of the National Amnesty Program offered by the government.
Northern Samar province is considered the last bastion of insurgency in Eastern Visayas.
30 rebels were involved in the clash which brings their number down to 24. Before the firefight a former NPA vice squad leader led the AFP to a cache of weapons.
In Negros Occidental the AFP clashed with the dismantled remnants of the NPA, killing one fighter.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1251671 |
A squad member of the dismantled New People's Army (NPA) Central Negros 2 (CN2) front was killed in a renewed clash with the Philippine Army's 94th Infantry Battalion (94IB) in the hinterlands of Himamaylan City in Negros Occidental Friday afternoon.
In a report on Saturday, the 3rd Infantry Division (ID) identified the fatality as Jun-Jun "Gringo" Benoy, 24, a resident of Sitio Ompocon in Barangay Mahalang.
Soldiers responded to information on the presence of armed rebels and engaged about five of them at Sitio Bugtangan, Barangay Buenavista at around 4:30 p.m.
They found an M16 rifle and the personal belongings of the rebels after the encounter.
In a statement, 3ID commander Maj. Gen. Michael Samson commended the collaboration between the troops and the community in the neutralization of another NPA remnant.
"This combat operation is part of our ongoing drive to cripple the remaining elements of the communist-terrorist group and ensure that they do not regain strength in Negros," he said.
Samson reiterated his call for the remaining NPA fighters to surrender and avail of the benefits under the government's Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program.
The AFP says this "is part of our ongoing drive to cripple the remaining elements of the communist-terrorist group and ensure that they do not regain strength in Negros." The AFP has already declared this group dismantled yet they are still fighting them. Seems dismantled does not mean crippled.
In Central Luzon 3 rebels surrendered.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1251439 |
Three members of armed communist groups voluntarily surrendered to authorities in Central Luzon on Monday, police said.
In a news release Tuesday night, the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO-3) identified the three as Noel Valdez, 39, who surrendered in San Jose, Tarlac; Charlie "Celing" Ramos, 56, in Botolan, Zambales; and Joselito Agunoy, 52, in Licab, Nueva Ecija.
Valdez, a member of Milisyang Bayan, and Ramos, a courier, marketer, and collector for the Regional Guerrilla Unit, each surrendered an improvised shotgun, the PRO-3 said.
It also said Ramos has been on the government's Order of Battle/Periodic Status Report list since 2004.
Agunoy, meanwhile, was a former member of the Sentro de Gravidad and a part of the Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon – Nueva Ecija Chapter who said he was recruited in 2018 by known insurgent personality Nicomedes Ortiz.
The PRO-3 said Agunoy surrendered a homemade .38 caliber revolver with no serial number and three rounds of ammunition.
The three former rebels are now under police custody for debriefing and documentation, while their surrendered firearms have been impounded and will be subjected to proper disposition.
"The return of these individuals to the fold of the law is a clear testament to the effectiveness of our programs aimed at encouraging those who have gone astray to start anew," PRO-3 chief Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said.
She noted that with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s whole-of-nation approach, the PRO-3 "remains committed to giving former rebels a second chance to rebuild their lives and become productive members of society."
After their debriefing they will not doubt filed for E-CLIP benefits as well as amnesty.
Party-list groups lost big thought some other won in the just ended election. The NTF-ELCAC is urging the Comelec to to take action against parties that have ties to the communist party by suspending the proclamation of winning.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1251441 |
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Wednesday urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to take action amid new revelations linking youth activist groups to armed insurgency and internal abuse.
In a statement, NTF-ELCAC executive director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. urged the poll body to immediately suspend the proclamation of Kabataan Party-list (KPL) and revive the long-dormant disqualification proceedings against Gabriela Women’s Party-list (GWP).
The call follows the confirmed death of Jhon Isidor “Dee” Supelanas, a former KPL spokesperson in Cebu, who was killed in an armed encounter in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental last April.
“His story is not an isolated tragedy. It is part of a disturbing pattern where youth leaders—starting from legal organizing spaces—end up as armed combatants of the NPA (New People's Army)," Torres said.
The anti-insurgency body also cited documented cases, including social media posts, public tributes, and sworn testimonies from former cadres, tracing the same trajectory among former leaders of Gabriela and other allied organizations.
Torres expressed alarm over recent sexual assault allegations involving KPL leaders from 2023 to 2025. At least 20 victims are said to have come forward.
“Kabataan’s response was a generic condemnation, carefully avoiding the fact that the abusers were from within their own ranks. This silence perpetuates a culture of impunity,” Torres said.
While the task force values the party-list system as a means to amplify marginalized voices, it said that it “must never become a backdoor for political radicalization, or a shield for abuse.”
The NTF-ELCAC called on Comelec to show political courage and perform due diligence.
“This is not suppression, but a safeguard. The bloodied trail and the survivor testimonies compel one simple act: pause, investigate, and protect the public trust,” Torres said.
He also challenged the leadership of Kabataan and Gabriela to categorically denounce the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front and address exploitation within their own circles.
“If you truly serve the people, then begin by facing these hard truths. Show that your commitment to democracy includes accountability and transparency—not silence—when lives and rights are on the line," Torres said.
Kabataan and Gabriela have long fought against "red-tagging." If the NTF-ELCAC and AFP have indisputable evidence against those parties linking them to the CPP-NPA it is inconceivable why the Comelec would not act on that information.
Meanwhile. in Mindanao 7 Moro extremists have surrendered and received aid.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1251471 |
Seven members of Moro extremist groups have decided to lay down their firearms, rejoin the mainstream, and pledge allegiance to the Philippine flag in Upi, Maguindanao del Norte, the Army reported.
The seven combatants, identified as belonging to the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) Kagui Karialan faction and the Dawlah Islamiya Hassan Group, surrendered to Lt. Col. Aeron Gumabao, commander of the 57th Infantry Battalion (57IB), at the battalion headquarters in Upi town on Tuesday afternoon.
They brought with them seven high-powered firearms, including two crew-served 60mm mortars, two M14 rifles, two sniper rifles, and an M79 grenade launcher.
“This significant event resulted from the unit’s extensive intelligence operations, effective coordination with adjacent units, and thorough negotiations,” Lt. Col. Gumabao said in a radio interview Wednesday.
The Upi town government and other relevant government agencies immediately provided the former combatants with financial assistance and food packages, facilitating their reintegration into society.
“This act highlights the government's effective programs encouraging surrender and peaceful reintegration, demonstrating a pathway from conflict to normalcy,” Gumabao added.
Those are all ISIS fighters. Now that they have surrendered they better be sure not to forget to apply for amnesty.
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