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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2152492/islamic-terror-group-leader-slain-in-maguindanao-del-sur |
The military believed they scored a major victory against the Islamic terror group Daulah Islamiyah (DI) when they announced the death of the group’s “amir” (leader or commander) in a clash with government troops in the village of Satan here at 5 a.m. on Sunday.
Ustadz Mohammad Usman Solaiman, identified as amir of the terror DI-Hassan Group, was the brother of Ustadz Kamaro Usman, a member of the DI-Hassan Group who was killed in a clash with government forces in Ampatuan town in March 2020; and a Commander Badi of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Brig. Gen. Edgar Catu, commander of the Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade based in Ampatuan town, told the Inquirer on Monday.
According to Catu, Solaiman was known as the bomb maker of the DI-Hassan group and cousin of Basit Usman, the slain BIFF leader responsible for several attacks against government forces in Maguindanao del Sur.
Catu said Solaiman and Norodin Hassan, the amir for military affairs of DI-Hassan Group, were candidates to replace alias Abu Azim, the slain leader of the DI and BIFF alliance.
Solaiman’s group has been tagged in the series of bomb attacks against civilian targets, including the bombing of Rural Bus in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte, on April 24, 2022; the bombings of Yellow Bus units in Tacurong City in Sultan Kuradat province and Koronadal City in South Cotabato on May 26, 2022; and the bombing of Yellow Bus unit on Nov. 6, 2022, in Tacurong City’s bus terminal.
The same group was also responsible for the bombing of a Husky double deck bus at the bus terminal of Isulan town in South Cotabato on April 17, 2023; the ambush of 40th Infantry Battalion Army troopers in Barangay Tuayan, Datu Hofer, Maguindanao del Sur; and the robbery-slay of three goat vendors from Batangas discovered buried in a shallow grave in Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao del Sur, in June this year.
Catu lauded the civilians brave enough to report Solaiman’s location to government forces.
“The civilian information helped our troops in locating the terrorist group in the village of Satan, Shariff Aguak,” Catu said.Solaiman’s companions managed to escape during the skirmishes, the military said.
“We urge the remnants of DI and BIFF to avail of the government’s offer of peace,” said Maj. Gen. Vladimir Cagara, commander of the 6th Infantry Division, the mother unit of the 601st Infantry Battalion.
That still leaves "Norodin Hassan, the amir for military affairs of DI-Hassan Group" which means the DI is not leaderless. They are also allied with the BIFF.
The Army claims more IS men will be surrendering after the death of Solaiman.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2153068/army-sees-more-is-men-to-surrender-after-death-of-leader |
The Army command in Central Mindanao is expecting to see more local affiliates of the Islamic State (IS) terror network to surrender following the killing of Daulah Islamiyah (DI)-Hassan Group leader Ustadz Mohammad Usman Solaiman on Sunday.
Lt. Col. Ronald Suscano, spokesperson for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said they were expecting that the fall of Solaiman, who led the group since 2022, would further tighten the screw against the remaining band of terrorists in the region.
“Their world has become smaller. And now, they are without a leader,” Suscano said in an interview with dwDD, a radio station run by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The Army, he added, hopes to wrap up its pursuit of the group before year-end.
Suscano said Solaiman was not accompanied by a group of armed followers when soldiers of the Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade pursued him in Satan village in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur.
“That was an indication that the group was already losing adherents through earlier surrenders, and that they were on their own, dependent on their respective families to hide them from authorities,” he said.
Suscano added that Solaiman’s whereabouts were pieced from information shared by his followers who had surrendered to authorities.
He said that Solaiman, known as “Baby Bungos” and “Kikay,” had the option to surrender but he missed this chance, hence the launch of the military operation.
The Army bases the dissolution of the DI on the fact that "Solaiman was not accompanied by a group of armed followers" when he was pursued. There could be any number of reasons he was alone. In fact the PNP is on alert for any possible retaliation for his death.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1264833 |
Philippine National Police (PNP) acting chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., ordered all units in the central and western parts of Mindanao to be on alert for possible retaliatory attacks following the killing of a high-ranking leader and bomb expert of the terrorist group Dawlah Islamiyah–Hassan Group (DI-HG).
In a statement on Tuesday, Nartatez said the police are working closely with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“Our personnel on the ground maintain high level of alert and continuously strengthen defensive positions to deter any possible retaliatory attack while also ensuring the safety and security of the civilian population in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” said Nartatez.
The military identified the suspected terrorist as Ustadz Mohammad Usman Solaiman, the pinpointed amir of DI-HG killed during an operation on Sunday in Barangay Satan, Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur.
Solaiman was believed to be an expert bomb maker. His group was allegedly behind a series of bomb attacks targeting bus units across Mindanao.
Nartatez appealed to the public to remain vigilant.
“I urge the public to remain calm and immediately inform authorities if you have information about these lawless elements or other local terror groups,” he said.
That means there are followers of the DI remain and there are enough of them to launch a retaliatory attack. The statements from the PNP and the Army appear to contradict one another.
The AFP says 1.928 NPA rebels and supporters have been neutralized between January 1st and December 4th, 2025.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1264830 |
Close to 2,000 New People's Army (NPA) rebels and their sympathizers have been neutralized since the start of the year until Dec. 4, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported on Tuesday.
Of the 1,928 total number of neutralized communist rebels and supporters, 1,729 have surrendered to authorities, 93 were arrested and 106 were killed in combat operations, the military said.
The AFP also said 1,042 firearms and 446 anti-personnel mines were either seized or surrendered, and 142 rebel encampments were captured.
In a statement, the AFP said these numbers reflect the growing loss of support of the NPA and its allies.
"Our focused military operations combined with community engagements and whole-of-nation efforts continue to dismantle armed groups and continue to secure communities," it said.
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) earlier said NPA strength across the country has been reduced to only 780 from as high as 25,000 in the 1980s.
Under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s peace agenda, former communist insurgents can avail of the national government’s socio-economic projects, as well as its amnesty program to address their legal concerns, enabling them to complete their transformative journey and successfully return to mainstream society.
In 2023, Marcos issued Proclamation 404, granting amnesty to former members of the NPA, as well as of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front, who have committed crimes punishable under the Revised Penal Code and Special Penal laws in furtherance of their political beliefs, among other offenses.
Again there is no breakdown of the number of rebels vs the number of supporters. That makes this number bloated and meaningless.
In Northern Samar ex-rebels have been given safe conduct passes so they can apply for amnesty.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1264792 |
Nine former rebels in Northern Samar and six others in Leyte have been issued safe conduct passes (SCPs), signaling continued progress in the government’s Amnesty Program aimed at promoting peaceful reintegration and reducing local armed conflict.
In Northern Samar, the National Amnesty Commission (NAC), through the Local Amnesty Board (LAB)–Catbalogan, released SCPs to nine beneficiaries during a ceremony held Monday at the headquarters of the Philippine Army's (PA) 19th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Barangay Opong, Catubig town.
The activity, conducted in partnership with the PA’s 803rd Infantry Brigade and the Northern Samar Provincial Police Office, formed part of intensified efforts to support former members of communist terrorist groups who are returning to mainstream society.
To date, 69 former rebels supervised by the 19th IB have filed for amnesty. Of these, 23 have already been issued SCPs, including the nine new recipients. Fourteen more applicants are expected to receive their passes in the coming days.
Lt. Col. Ricky James Rosalejos, commander of the 19th IB, welcomed the beneficiaries and emphasized the role of the amnesty program in strengthening peace and stability in the province.
“The issuance, done in close coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP), demonstrated the government’s continuing commitment to a transparent and humane reintegration process,” Rosalejos said in an interview.
LAB–Catbalogan peace program officer Jazmine Odyssa Lutao and legal officer Gelyn Diaz-Omanito assisted in the processing of applications ahead of the program’s March 2026 deadline.
In Leyte, the LAB–Tacloban issued SCPs to six applicants during a Dec. 4, 2025 activity in Tacloban City.
LAB–Tacloban acknowledged the support of city police chief Col. Noelito Getigan for ensuring a smooth and orderly evaluation, as well as Bhea Janine Gozo, peace program officer and LAB–Tacloban secretary, for coordinating documentation and assisting applicants throughout the process.
LAB–Tacloban also expressed gratitude to all partners and applicants for their cooperation in the government’s ongoing peacebuilding and reintegration initiatives.
SCPs are documents that grant temporary protection from arrest, detention, or prosecution for covered offenses, allowing them safe passage and freedom to complete their amnesty applications and reintegrate into society.
These ex-rebels have been operating without them for so long one wonders why they need them? Is it merely symbolic and performative?
Two ranking NPA leaders have surrendered once more disproving the AFP's lie that the NPA is leaderless.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1264911 |
Two remaining leaders of the New People’s Army - North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NPA-NCMRC) surrendered to troopers of the Philippine Army’s 402nd Infantry Brigade (402Bde) in Agusan del Norte on Monday.
In a statement on Wednesday, the 402Bde identified the surrenderers as Ariel Galario Domino, the second deputy secretary of NCMRC, and Lorena Tomania Palda, the committee’s medic.
The 402Bde viewed the duo’s surrender as a major setback for the NCMRC’s weakening guerrilla network amid ongoing military operations in the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, and Bukidnon.
“As a ranking personality, Domino was reportedly involved in critical decision-making and operational planning within the NCMRC’s Sub-Regional Committee 1,” said Brig. Gen. Adolfo Espuelas Jr., the 402Bde commander.
He added that Palda is also responsible for providing combat medical support and training to NPA fighters under the committee.
“Their surrender was the result of the relentless operational pressure, combined with effective coordination with local government units, former rebels, and community organizations,” Espuelas said.
Of course this is "a major setback for the NCMRC’s weakening guerrilla network." Every time a leader of the NPA surrenders its a major blow or a major set back. And yet the NPA keeps trucking on.
The NTF-ELCAC has dared the 780 remaining NPA rebels to condemn their own actions.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1264903 |
A ranking official of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Wednesday dared the remaining New People's Army (NPA) members to condemn the killings perpetuated by the group.
"If you truly believe in human rights, then denounce the killings your movement ordered," NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. said in a statement marking International Human Rights Day.
He said the challenge also goes to the leaders of the NPA, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the National Democratic Front (NDF), their front organizations, and "ideological apologists."
"Condemn the executions your doctrine justified. Admit the unspeakable suffering your so-called revolution inflicted on the very people it claimed to liberate," Torres said.
The NTF-ELCAC official issued the challenge after noting that the CPP-NPA-NDF still refuses to confront "the darkest truth of its legacy," which resulted in the execution of thousands of Filipinos, including farmers, students, Indigenous People, activists, and even their own members.
Torres was alluding to the CPP-NPA's previous internal campaigns Oplan Zombie, Kampanyang Ahos, and Kadena de Amor, where thousands suspected of being government spies were killed.
He noted that the victims of the executions and their families deserve justice, stressing that peace is not merely the absence of conflict but also the "presence of justice, dignity, and respect for every Filipino life."
"As a nation, we must remain vigilant. The peace we enjoy today – felt in once conflict-stricken sitios, in classrooms finally safe for children, in barangays where commerce now hums – is a peace that must be sustained, protected, and deepened," he said.
Torres also called on the public and civil society groups to condemn the normalization of "NPA-style executions."
"We call on all sectors – academe, youth, civil society, faith groups, LGUs, and media – to reject the normalization of NPA-style executions and ideological violence. Defend human rights with truth, not propaganda," he said in a separate statement.
He added that human rights cannot be selective and invoked only when convenient or weaponized to shield perpetrators.
"The NPA's documented killings – including recent 'spy-tagging' executions – are not mere statistics; they represent shattered families and communities terrorized into silence," he said.
Torres earlier said NPA strength across the country has been reduced to only 780 from as high as 25,000 in the 1980s.
Now, Torres knows that is not going to happen. The NPA will find a way to justify their killings. Every communist rebels from Russia to China to Cuba has done the same. But it makes Torres and the NTF-ELCAC look like they have the moral high ground. Will he answer the COA's claim that the NTF-ELCAC has underutilized its budget thus undermining efforts to end the insurgency?
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