Insurgency: Online Radicalization

It's been a victorious past week as the NPA continues to crumble in various provinces and regions. First up is Cagayan Valley being declared insurgency-free.

https://mb.com.ph/2026/06/06/cagayan-valley-declared-insurgency-free

The Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) has officially declared the Cagayan Valley region insurgency-free and placed it under a State of Stable Internal Peace and Security (SSIPS), marking a major milestone in the government’s peace and security campaign in Northern Luzon.

The declaration was made during the RPOC’s second quarter meeting on Thursday, June 4, at the Cagayan Provincial Capitol here.

The meeting was led by Regional Development Council (RDC) Chairperson and Cagayan Gov. Edgar Aglipay and attended by the Philippine Army, Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Region 2, and other government agencies and security sector partners.

A symbolic marker was unveiled and official documents were signed to formalize the declaration recognizing the region’s successful efforts in addressing insurgency and maintaining peace and order following the dismantling of the Komiteng Rehiyon Cagayan Valley of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG), which had operated in the region for decades.

Aglipay commended the unwavering commitment and dedication of government agencies, local government units, and security forces in carrying out their mandates that ultimately led to the region being declared free from insurgency threats.

He stressed that the declaration should not be viewed as the end of the government’s peace efforts but as a continuing commitment to sustain peace, security, and development throughout the region.

Police Regional Office-2 Director Police Brig. Gen. Mariano Rodriguez, 5th Infantry Division commander Major Gen. Gulliver Señires, and Northern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Aristotle Gonzalez reaffirmed their commitment to continue close coordination and collaboration to preserve peace and ensure that insurgency will no longer regain a foothold in the region.

No word on when the last time rebels were seen in the area bu the government warns this is not "the end of the government’s peace efforts." The AFP has to sustain the gains made in this region and in every region. 

Agusan del Sur has been placed under Stable Internal Peace and Security status. Is SIPS different from SSIPS?

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1276870

The province of Agusan del Sur is under Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status, according to the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC).

The declaration of the SIPS status was made during the PPOC meeting in Prosperidad town on Monday, which was attended by top leaders in the area, led by Governor Santiago Cane Jr., and officials of the Philippine Army, the Philippine National Police (PNP), and other government agencies.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Army’s 401st Infantry Brigade (401Bde) said the SIPS status was achieved by the province mainly due to the dismantling of the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) of the communist New People’s Army.

The 401Bde attributed NEMRC's downfall to the relentless efforts of the Army, the PNP, and other security forces in the province.

“The declaration signifies the province's transition toward an insurgency-free environment, opening greater opportunities for economic growth, investment, and improved public services for its people,” Col. Glenn Joy U. Aynera, acting commander of 401Bde, said in the same statement.

He added that the achievement also reflects the sacrifices and dedication of Army troopers, including fallen soldiers who offered their lives in the pursuit of peace, as well as the support of the local government units, the Indigenous Peoples, and various communities in the province.

Last week, the two units of 401Bde – the 36th Infantry Battalion and the 3rd Special Forces Battalion – together with the PNP’s 1st Special Action Battalion, facilitated the surrender of the five remaining remnants of NEMRC in an operation in Barangay Sibahay, Lanuza, Surigao del Sur.

The surrenderers also handed over one RPK light machine gun, three M16A1 rifles, one M203 grenade launcher, one M4 Bushmaster rifle, four AK-47 magazines, various ammunition, including four 40mm high-explosive rounds, and subversive documents.

“This historic declaration reflects the effectiveness of the whole-of-nation approach in promoting peace and development,” Maj. Gen. Marion Angcao, the commander of the 4th Infantry Division, also said in the statement.

He commended the dedication of soldiers, local government leaders, partner agencies, and peace-loving citizens who collaborated to achieve SIPS status.

"The declaration signifies the province's transition toward an insurgency-free environment" makes it sounds like the region is not actually, or officially anyway, insurgency-free. 

Once a hotbed of the insurgency, two Samar towns have been declared insurgency-free. The first is Matuguinao.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1276842

This town was formally declared under a Stable Internal Peace and Security Condition (SIPSC) on Monday, marking the culmination of years of government efforts to eradicate the influence of the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People's Army–National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) in the area.

A declaration ceremony held at the municipal gymnasium was attended by local officials led by Mayor Aran Boller, the Army's 8th Infantry Division commander Major General Peter Burgonio, and representatives from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Matuguinao had long been considered one of Samar's insurgency hotspots, with communist rebel influence reaching nearly all of its 20 villages for decades.

Since its creation as a municipality in 1965 and the rise of the NPA in the 1970s, two of its mayors have been assassinated by communist rebels. Several military personnel and barangay officials were also killed.

Local officials said the situation began to improve in 2019 when the local government declared NPA members persona non grata, intensifying its anti-insurgency campaign in partnership with the Philippine Army and PNP.

In his speech, Boller described the declaration as the realization of a long-held aspiration for peace and development.

"It has been a long journey toward the total emancipation of Matuguinao from the influence of the CPP-NPA-NDF," he said, recalling the lives lost over the years, including soldiers, village officials, and civilians.

He said the declaration signifies that the town is now ready to focus on sustained development and economic progress.

One major factor behind the transformation was improved accessibility. Once reachable only through a four- to six-hour motorboat ride, Matuguinao was connected by road to neighboring Gandara through a Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan-funded road project completed in 2019, reducing travel time to less than an hour.

"By delivering services to all citizens equally, we have eliminated the grounds for complaints used by the NPA to justify their recruitment," Boller added.

The local government is currently assisting around 60 to 70 former rebels through reintegration and support programs, including livelihood assistance and planned housing units under the Saad nga Balay (promised housing) program.

Burgonio commended the local government and residents for their cooperation, saying peace could not have been achieved without active community participation.

The SIPSC declaration is granted after a local government unit undergoes assessment and verification by the military and police and is found free from insurgent influence, presence, and activities for at least one year.

NPA influence for almost 50 years and all it took to "eliminate the grounds for complaints used by the NPA to justify their recruitment" was "delivering services to all citizens equally." Good governance as counterinsurgency when it should be norm. 

The second Samar town to be cleared from the NPA is Tagapul-an.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1277103

The island town of Tagapul-an in Samar province has been formally declared as free from threats of the New People’s Army (NPA) due to sustained efforts for peace, security, and development.

The town's declaration under a Stable Internal Peace and Security Condition (SIPSC) was formalized on Thursday with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) led by Tagapul-an Mayor Princess Kate Limpiado, Philippine Army 801st Infantry Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Arlino Sendaydiego, and 14th Infantry Battalion commander Lt. Col. Esmeraldo Sumalinog.

The SIPSC declaration acknowledges the town’s ongoing peace, stability, and lack of major insurgency or internal conflict, fostering a better environment for growth.

In her message, Limpiado emphasized that the declaration is not the culmination of peacebuilding efforts but the beginning of a more focused and sustained development agenda for the municipality.

“With an improved peace and security environment, Tagapul-an is now better positioned to attract investment, expand social services, and implement long-term development programs that will improve the quality of life for every Tagapul-anon,” she said.

The mayor also acknowledged the collective contributions of past and present local officials, barangay leaders, security forces, and community stakeholders, whose efforts made the declaration possible.

Meanwhile, Sendaydiego said the SIPSC declaration reflects the municipality’s progress in addressing insurgency-related concerns through close collaboration among local government units, security agencies, and community partners.

He noted that the achievement demonstrates the effectiveness of the government's whole-of-nation approach to addressing the root causes of insurgency and promoting lasting peace and stability in Samar.

With Tagapul-an’s declaration under SIPSC, all five island municipalities of Samar province have now attained insurgency-free status. These include Almagro, Sto. Niño, Daram and Zumarraga.

Other local government units in Samar that have previously been declared under the same status include Sta. Rita, Calbiga, Matuguinao, Villareal, Pinabacdao, Pagsanghan, Tarangnan, San Sebastian, Sta. Margarita and Calbayog City.

This town, like Matuguinao, has been placed under Stable Internal Peace and Security Condition (SIPSC). What is the difference exactly between SIPS and SSIPS? Is there a real difference? 

Caraga Region is set to be declared Reds-free so the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) is switching gears to peace sustainability. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1276769

Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento on Monday said the agency will soon shift its peacebuilding strategy from "conflict management to peace sustainability" initiatives.

Sarmiento said this shift, to be handled by the agency's Local Conflict Transformation - Field Implementation Support Office (LCT-FISO), will happen in anticipation of the Caraga Region being declared insurgency-free within the month.

“With Caraga Region on the cusp of being declared insurgency-free, our mandate shifts fundamentally. We are now stepping into deep-rooted conflict transformation. To ensure this milestone translates into positive, lasting peace, our Transformation Program must not only help rebuild the lives of former rebels, but must also focus on mending the social fabric of communities,” he said in a news release.

“Recognizing that decades of conflict have left invisible wounds in communities and among individuals, OPAPRU will strengthen the implementation of the Transformation Program through its Healing and Reconciliation component to foster understanding, rebuild trust, and promote social cohesion among former adversaries."

Sarmiento said sustainable peace requires “addressing the emotional, psychological, and social scars left by years of violence and division.”

“Through dialogue, community engagement, and peacebuilding initiatives, OPAPRU aims to help communities heal, restore relationships, and create an environment where peace can flourish and be sustained at the communities once plagued by conflict,” he added.

Earlier, the Eastern Mindanao Command, the military formation responsible for defending and securing Caraga against all forms of threats, said the locality will soon be officially cleared of communist insurgents.

This came after the Caraga was declared a “Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS)” area during the Regional Peace and Order Council 13 meeting held last week.

The OPAPRU chief said development is a welcome one as the Caraga Region has long being considered the main outpost of the New People's Army in Mindanao, specifically operating under the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Records from the military showed that from 2016 to 2026, a total of 224 communist rebels affliated with the NEMRC operating in Caraga were subdued, together with 189 members of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee in Northern Mindanao.

Combined, Regions 10 and 13 accounted for 433 subdued communist rebels over the 10-year period, reflecting the steady weakening of insurgent forces and the eventual dismantling of their operational capabilities.

The OPAPRU and provincial local government units’ (PLGUs) earlier established peace and development centers (PDCs) across Caraga, the pilot region for the peace agency’s flagship initiative under the CPP-NPA-NDF Peace Process Office (CPPO), with the aim of serving as platforms where local stakeholders, through the PLGU of Caraga, can actively participate in shaping and sustaining the gains of peace.

“Peace is strongest when it is built from the ground up. By working closely with the communities and local stakeholders to confront the past and rebuild trust through our established PDC as a mechanism, we are laying the foundation for a resilient and united CARAGA," the OPAPRU chief said.

What it boils down to is good governance. Make sure the people have basic commodities and infrastructure and they will have no reason to take up arms. 

The PNP has ramped up their battle against online radicalization by collaborating with international partners. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1277069

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has intensified its collaboration with international law enforcement agencies to combat cross-border extremist networks targeting vulnerable Filipino youth, following the rescue of 21 minors from online violent extremist influence.

In a statement, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. underscored the importance of international cooperation after the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in partnership with Philippine law enforcement agencies, including the PNP, rescued 21 Filipino minors from nihilist violent extremism (NVE).

“The rescue of 21 minors from violent extremist influence is a significant achievement in protecting vulnerable young people from radicalization and exploitation. It demonstrates the importance of early intervention and coordinated law enforcement efforts to safeguard communities,” Nartatez said.

According to the FBI-led Anti-Terrorism Fusion Group, authorities conducted 14 separate operations across the Philippines after identifying juveniles who exhibited signs of extremist behavior online.

Authorities said NVE is a form of extremism driven by the belief that life has no value. The ideology has emerged as a global threat, primarily spreading through gaming platforms and social media networks.

Nartatez noted that evolving security threats require a unified international response to effectively protect communities from online radicalization and exploitation.

“International cooperation is crucial because extremist networks often operate across borders and digital platforms. No single agency can effectively address these threats alone, which is why information sharing and joint action among trusted partners are essential,” he said.

The FBI began sharing critical intelligence with Philippine authorities earlier this year, enabling local law enforcement agencies to conduct coordinated interventions before the targeted minors could be fully exploited or driven toward violence.

U.S. authorities have noted that similar online recruitment patterns observed globally have previously been linked to planned school attacks involving young people.

Aside from efforts against NVE, the FBI is also working closely with Philippine law enforcement agencies to dismantle regional scam centers operated by transnational criminal networks.

“We will continue working closely with foreign law enforcement agencies, local government units, schools, and communities to identify at-risk individuals, prevent radicalization, and ensure timely intervention whenever necessary,” Nartatez said.

They PNP says they have "rescued 21 Filipino minors from nihilist violent extremism (NVE)." Nihilism? What is this, late 19th century Russia? It turns out "NVE is a form of extremism driven by the belief that life has no value." Also "the ideology has emerged as a global threat, primarily spreading through gaming platforms and social media networks." That is a new one for me. What kind of violence have these nihilists been committing in the real world? It sounds more like the black pill than anything.