The AFP has released another update on how many Reds and supporters have been neutralized since the beginning of the year. They say the number is getting close to 1,000.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1281659 |
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said operations against communist insurgents from Jan. 1 to Aug. this year have, so far, “neutralized" an estimated 970 New People's Army (NPA) members and their supporters.
Of the total, 862 of the individuals surrendered, 37 were arrested, and 71 were killed, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in a media interview Tuesday.
"Neutralized" is a military term that refers to the surrender, capture, or killing of enemy troops.
"A total of 653 firearms and 255 anti-personnel mines were either seized or surrendered, and 38 encampments were seized," Padilla said.
"If we look at the numbers, we can see the operational gains,” she noted.
The AFP spokesperson said the military operations’ objective is the removal of more communities under the NPA's "cycle of violence”.
Last year, the military said its units neutralized an estimated 2,018 NPA members and their supporters, seized around 1,134 firearms and 531 anti-personnel mines, and captured around 149 NPA encampments.
"If we look at the numbers, we can see the operational gains?” How so? Without breaking down the numbers into how many actual NPA rebels versus mere supporters have been neutralized, these numbers are worthless. Especially in light of the fact that the last estimated count of remaining NPA rebels was 780 which is below the number being reported. But the headline looks good.
Another one of the non-existent NPA leaders has been neutralized. He was arrested in Surigao Sur.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1281684 |
Police arrested a former team leader of the dismantled North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee of the New People’s Army (NPA), who is also listed as the top 3 most wanted person in the Caraga Region, in Surigao del Sur, authorities said Wednesday.
Surigao del Sur Police Provincial Office (SDSPPO) chief Col. Jeffrey Lawrence Mauricio identified the suspect as alias Neil or Part, 26, former team leader of the Regional Sentro De Grabidad.
Neil was arrested on the evening of Aug. 10 in Barangay San Isidro, Lianga, Surigao del Sur, through the service of arrest warrants by various units of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The operation was led by personnel of the Barobo Municipal Police Station, in coordination with other PNP and AFP units.
Multiple arrest warrants were issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 28 in Lianga against the suspect for three counts of murder, two counts of frustrated murder, and one count of attempted murder.
The suspect is now under the custody of the local police station in Barobo for proper documentation and disposition."The arrest of the suspect, a regional top-most wanted person and a leader of the communist terrorist group, is a monumental victory for justice and a testament to the strength of the joint PNP and AFP forces," Mauricio said in a statement on Wednesday.
And to think if he had only surrendered he would have been able to avail of amnesty and E-CLIP benefits like free money, housing, and job training.
Matuguinao, Samar was previously declared to be insurgency-free. Yet, just recently locals had to drive off the NPA who were hoping to return to influence.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2284446/samar-town-foils-npa-return-bid-after-insurgency-free-declaration |
An attempted return by members of the New People’s Army (NPA) to different remote villages of Matuguinao, Samar, was foiled after residents alerted authorities, prompting a security operation by the Philippine Army.
In an official statement issued on Friday, Mayor Aran Boller said residents immediately reported the NPA presence, allowing the 43rd Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Jason Que to conduct a security operation that prevented the armed group from returning to the community.
The mayor did not provide details on the identity or number of armed men involved, or whether an encounter occurred.
Boller said the incident underscored the importance of declaring Matuguinao insurgency-free on June 8, saying the status had encouraged residents to take a more active role in protecting peace and security in their communities.
“When there are suspicious movements or signs of an armed group attempting to enter, our residents do not simply remain silent—they immediately report these to the barangay and concerned authorities,” Boller said in his statement.
Matuguinao has 20 barangays and was for decades regarded as one of Samar’s insurgency strongholds, with the influence of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) reaching nearly all parts of the municipality.
Since its creation as a municipality in 1965 and the emergence of the NPA in the 1970s, insurgency-related violence in the town has claimed the lives of two municipal mayors, military personnel, barangay officials, and civilians, making Matuguinao one of the province’s most challenging security environments.
Boller said the latest incident should not disrupt the daily lives of residents, including farming and livelihood activities.
He also urged residents to be cautious about information circulating on social media and avoid sharing unverified reports that could create fear, confusion, or misperceptions about the security situation.The mayor called on residents to rely on official, verified information from the local government and concerned authorities and to continue coordinating with government forces.
“Peace is a responsibility that we must all take care of together,” Boller said, noting the importance of early reporting, cooperation and unity among communities in maintaining peace and supporting Matuguinao’s development.
It's suspicious that no details on this encounter were given. The public should know those details as a matter of safety. This incident, if it did occur, also underscores that insurgency-free does not mean insurgent free. There are, perhaps, insurgents in the area.
There is a new NTF-ELCAC chief in town and he has vowed that no child will grow-up in the shadow of armed conflict.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1281851 |
The newly appointed executive director of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has promised that no Filipino child will ever again grow up in the shadow of armed conflict.
NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Danilo Pamonag made this pledge as he formally took over the task force last Aug. 12, the task force said in a statement Thursday night.
"Formally taking the helm of the NTF-ELCAC, Pamonag called on government agencies, local chief executives, security forces, civil society, and local communities to move forward with a common purpose," the statement read.
For the new NTF-ELCAC executive director, lasting peace cannot simply mean the absence of armed encounters.
Pamonag emphasized that victory must be measured in the daily lives of ordinary Filipinos, meaning a child can go to school without fear, a family can earn a living in peace, and a remote barangay can access full government services.
“The finish line is within our sight, but the final steps require our highest level of passion, integrity, and hard work," he said.
"We must remain proactive and agile in serving the people, so that no Filipino child will ever again grow up in the shadow of armed conflict,” he added.
Pamonag anchored his roadmap on three foundational pillars — unity, peace and development.
He outlined key priorities for the task force:
• Strengthening the Whole-of-Nation Approach: Deepening coordination among national agencies and local government units (LGUs).
• Breaking Down Institutional Silos: Fostering a cohesive, results-driven bureaucracy to accelerate interagency convergence.
• Sustaining Community Presence: Ensuring Joint Regional Task Forces and National Clusters remain active and responsive in historically isolated or vulnerable areas.
• Securing Long-Term Development: Making roads, schools, health services, and economic opportunities permanent features of cleared communities to prevent any resurgence of violence.
As this developed, Pamonag paid tribute to his predecessor, Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr., for his strategic foresight in weakening the armed insurgency, empowering local chief executives and steering the campaign toward good governance.
As the insurgency continues to weaken, Pamonag rallied the NTF-ELCAC secretariat, regional task forces and partner agencies to execute the final stretch with heightened professionalism and integrity, noting that the ultimate victory will be empowering a generation of Filipino children who will never have to live through an insurgency.
What exactly is the finish line when the AFP has said zero insurgents is an impossibility and they are merely trying to whittle them down to a manageable level?
Año admitted insurgency cannot be totally eliminated, but he believes the issue may be brought down to a negligible point.
“While we may not be able to attain this zero insurgents, but at least reduced to an irrelevant number that will not cause concern for peace and order,” he said.
“They will become isolated and just become bandits, because of lost ideology and non-support from the people,” he projected.
https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2023/09/insurgency-communist-insurgency-to-end.html
And let's not forget the insurgency has been set to be over by the end of the year for decades now.
The NTF-ELCAC has gone before the United Nations to push for international action against spy-tagging.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1281988 |
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) is seeking greater international action against communist insurgents following a briefing to the United Nations (UN) on documented cases of civilian killings and a deadly “spy-tagging” campaign.In a news release Sunday, the NTF-ELCAC said its national secretariat presented to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN-OHCHR) the 71 documented cases of alleged arbitrary killings and other human rights violations attributed to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army since January 2025.
"The presentation emphasized the violent incidents in Mindoro and Negros Island, highlighting the deadly consequences of 'spy-tagging' — the practice of branding civilians as government informants or intelligence assets, often placing their lives at grave risk," it said.
Led by NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Undersecretary Danilo Pamonag, the engagement placed the plight of civilians at the center of the discussions.
The report details how farmers, community members, and other civilians were allegedly accused of being “spies” or government collaborators before being targeted and killed by communist armed elements.
UN-OHCHR representative Signe Poulsen welcomed the documentation and vowed to bring the findings before appropriate international human rights mechanisms.
Pamonag said the engagement underscored the need for human rights protection to apply equally to all victims, regardless of whether the alleged perpetrator is a state or non-state actor.
He pushed for stronger engagement with international development partners to support peace-building, community development, and the sustainable reintegration of former rebels into mainstream society.
Pamonag specifically urged international human rights organizations to focus on the spy-tagging, summary executions, and other forms of violence allegedly perpetrated against civilians by communist armed groups, particularly in vulnerable and geographically isolated communities.
It's pretty ironic since the human rights organizations have lambasted the NTF-ELCAC for red-tagging civilians who have nothing to do with the NPA or the insurgency.
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