Insurgency: NPA Losing Manpower

Several areas in the Philippines have been declared free from NPA influence.  First up is Samar which has been an NPA stronghold for many years. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1224143

The three Samar provinces are now free from the influence of the New People's Army (NPA) after years of whole-of-nation efforts against insurgency.

During a peace and development dialogue at the provincial capitol here Monday, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. lauded local officials and government forces for their efforts to eradicate armed struggle.

"I would like to commend the police, military, governors, mayors, and village officials for their efforts. The true test is that if our government forces leave, the rebels will not be able to recover," Abalos said.

Philippine Army's 8th Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Camilo Ligayo said no single village in three Samar provinces is under the influence of NPA this year.

"They are roving bandits with no support from any village officials and locals. Those running in the mountains are remnants of NPA fronts and units," Ligayo said.

The military earlier reported that about 1,000 communities in Eastern Visayas were influenced by the NPA before the formation of the task force to end local communist armed conflict in 2018. Most of these areas are in the three Samar provinces.

Northern Samar Governor Edwin Ongchuan said in their province, those who surrendered have been organized into peacebuilders, employed as farm workers, and provided with free housing.

"These interventions encouraged NPA members to surrender and become peacebuilders," Ongchuan said.

To date, there are 50 former rebels in Northern Samar listed as farm workers, earning a PHP350 daily wage.

They have been planting crops within a four-hectare farmland in Cablagan village in Mondragon town, the same site where houses for former rebels will be built.

Meanwhile, Ongchuan asked the national government to build a circumferential road in the tri-boundaries of Samar to ensure the sustainability of anti-insurgency efforts.

"We are the last bastion of insurgency and ending insurgency is a big challenge, especially in the boundaries of three Samar provinces," he said.

The proposed road will connect the towns of Silvino Lubos and Las Navas in Northern Samar to Matuguinao in Samar and Jipapad in Eastern Samar.

This does not mean there are no NPA fighters in the area. The DILG admits guerrillas are still present. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1938143/dilg-says-northern-samar-free-of-guerrillas-npas

While there are still sightings of seven roving vertical formations of the New People’s Army in the province, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said that the barangays are no longer supporting these CTGs.

A solider was killed during a recent clash in Samar. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1224078

The Philippine Army has paid tribute to the heroism of Cpl. Arvien Pajanustan, who was killed in a clash with members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Matuguinao, Samar on Saturday.

“He offered the ultimate sacrifice, while serving the people of Samar to attain lasting peace,” Capt. Jefferson Mariano, spokesperson of the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division, said on Monday.

Pajanustan, one of the troopers of the Army’s 19th Infantry Battalion based in Catubig, Northern Samar died during a clash past 2 p.m. on May 4 with a group of 10 rebels led by a certain Tigeo Dela Cruz in the upland village of San Roque in Matuguinao town.

The soldier died at the encounter site after a bullet hit his neck, according to Mariano.

“San Roque village is isolated and there were recent reports of sightings of rebels, prompting us to include the area in our focused military operations,” Mariano added.

Pajanustan, 27, is a native of Taft, Eastern Samar. He and his wife, a public school teacher, have two young children.

In a statement, Matuguinao Mayor Aran Boller said the heroism of the fallen soldier will never be forgotten by the townspeople.

“I strongly condemn the atrocity and inhumane act of communist terrorist group that led to the death of Pajanustan,” Boller said.

Matuguinao is a fifth-class town in Samar province with a population of 7,288 people. The town is 105 kilometers from Tacloban City, the regional capital.

Almost all of its 20 villages used to be influenced by the New People’s Army (NPA). At present, all communities are free from NPA influence, although four villages are under monitoring for recovery attempts by rebels, according to the local government. 

If there are still NPA roving around what good is it to declare Samar free from NPA influence?

An NPA front in Panay has been dismantled. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1224125

The Philippine Army has dismantled the Southern Panay Front (SPF) of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Panay that will pave the way for the declaration of a Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) in the island.

“SPF was declared dismantled at the level of 3ID last April 8 and approved by Visayas Command on April 15. We are now waiting for the NJPSCC (National Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center) to officially declare SPF as dismantled. But this is already approved in principle,” 3rd Division Public Affairs Office (DPAO) chief Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines said on Monday.

The remnants with a squad size are no longer capable of a tactical offensive since they have no man and firepower, Javines said.

With their SPF relegated, their efforts are now focused on breaking up the Central Front (CF) followed by the Regional Sentro De Gravidad (RSDG) and the Komiteng Rehiyon-Panay (KR-Panay) so they could recommend Panay as SIPS, Javines said.

The CF is around 30 in number and could reach up to 50, including the regional force, Javines said.

He said they are optimistic in declaring the SIPS in Panay similar to Negros Occidental.

“The declaration of SIPS is a symbol of concerted efforts of the military, Philippine National Police, local government units, other agencies, and the people to manifest that there is no longer the threat of insurgency. That the people realized that the NPA is already negligible,” he said.

Again, the AFP has declared victory while admitting there are still NPA remnants roving around. How is this front dismantled if there are remnants? How many soldiers will be killed in clashes with the remntans of this dismantled front? 

The AFP says the NPA is losing manpower and influence in Northern Mindanao and Caraga. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1224151

The Philippine Army declared that the communist rebels' influence and armed personnel are "disintegrating" in Northern Mindanao and Caraga regions, which fall under the 4th Infantry Division (4ID) area of responsibility.

In a statement on Monday, Major General Jose Maria R. Cuerpo II 4ID commander, said that military brigade units reporting successful operations against the communist New People's Army (NPA) often led to a series of surrenders, with the help of the community residents providing information, which isolated the rebel groups.

Cuerpo noted that the surrender of NPA leaders would create a ripple effect within a rebel unit, prompting disintegration as leaderless low-ranking members follow suit and turn themselves in.

"These recent series of surrenders manifest the realization of the low-ranking members of their group's eventual collapse, as they are crumbling and in total disarray," the Army official said.

The 403rd Infantry Brigade facilitated the latest surrender on May 3, negotiating the surrender of nine NPA combatants in Bukidnon province to the Army's 88th and 26 infantry battalions.

Meanwhile, on the same day, two other NPA combatants, identified as Tony Lindaan Taquin and Rian Pid-ak Pedyaan, also surrendered to Army forces at the boundary of Bukidnon and Lanao del Sur provinces.

The two rebels brought along with them an M16 rifle and an M79 grenade launcher during their surrender.

The basis for this declaration is the surrendering of NPA leaders. But, as seen elsewhere, this by no means indicates that there are no NPAs or that they cannot launch tactical offensives.

Finally, a town in Southern Leyte has been declared under a state of Stable Internal Peace and Security Condition.  

https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/7/town-in-southern-leyte-declared-under-sips-status

The municipality of Bontoc in Southern Leyte has been declared under a state of Stable Internal Peace and Security Condition. 

The Municipal Task Force-ELCAC declared the entire municipality under SIPSC on Monday, May 6, through Municipal Peace and Order Council Resolution No. 1 and Sangguniang Bayan Resolution No. 101.

The declaration marks the readiness of the municipality to take the lead in sustaining the gains of a peaceful community.

Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, commander of the 802nd Infantry (Peerless) Brigade, lauded the local government unit of Bontoc for their commitment and collective stand to maintain a safe environment for residents and prevent the resurgence and recovery efforts of the New People's Army.

He cited the collaborative efforts between the LGU and the community in achieving the SIPS Condition status.

"With our declaration of Bontoc as a Stable Internal Peace and Security Condition, we have delivered a strong message that indeed, we are united in our quest to end the local communist armed conflict as well as in maintaining a peaceful and secured environment being enjoyed now by the peace-loving people of Bontoc," Vestuir said.

Mayor Noel Alinsub thanked stakeholders who helped in attaining the conditions for the declaration. "The positive impact of this success will be the progress and development of our municipality and the welfare of our constituents."

Now, contrast the AFP's declaration of these four areas to be either insurgent free or to have a weak NPA presence with the assertion that the NPA continues to recruit members. If the NPA is still recruiting and poses a threat to students then either these declarations of peace and stability are lies or the claim that the NPA is still recruiting in any meaningful way is a lie. Both cannot be true. 

Insurgency: Haven For Rights Activists

The Anti-Terrorism Council has again affirmed the terrorist designation of the CPP-NPA.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1932065/atc-on-maintaining-terrorist-designation-of-cpp-npa

The Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) has maintained the terrorist designation of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

The PCO bared the news in a statement on Sunday, adding that ATC likewise maintained the terrorist designation of the Islamic State East Asia (ISEA) and other Daesh-linked, or associated groups in the Philippines under the council’s seven-page Resolution No. 53.

Under the resolution, ATC also named Elizabeth Pineda Principe, a member of the CPP-NPA, as a terrorist after it “found probable cause to designate Pineda as a terrorist individual based on verified and validated information, sworn statements and pieces of evidence gathered by different Philippine law enforcement agencies and the military.”

ATC said it maintained the terrorist designation of the CPP-NPA, or the “Bagong Hukbong Bayan,” as a terrorist organization “as they continue to target government forces and sow terror and fear among the public” based on the 268 atrocities recorded from December 2020 to August 2023.

It likewise cited the killing of national football athlete Keith Absalon as grounds for maintaining the designation. ATC said Absalon died in a roadside explosion from an improvised explosive device during the attacks in Masbate, among others.

On the other hand, the “continued involvement in terrorist activities” was cited as grounds for retaining the terrorist designation of the ISEA and other Daesh-linked or associated groups in the Philippines, such as the Abu Sayyaf, the groups of Maute, Maguid, Turaifie, Hassan, and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

The ATC said the ISEA and other Daesh-linked groups violated the Republic Act 11479 or “The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.”

The Anti-Terrorism Council also wants everyone to remember that they alone hold the power to declare groups or individuals terrorists.  

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1935208/atc-on-its-authority-to-designate-terrorist-individuals-groups

The Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) has asserted its sole authority to designate individuals, groups, or organizations as terrorists and guaranteed its commitment to safeguarding the rights of Filipino workers, including their “freedom of association and collective bargaining.”

ATC issued its affirmation on Monday following “concerns of some individuals, groups of persons, organizations, or associations, particularly trade unions and labor organizations,” reportedly labeled or linked to terrorists without its designation.

“The ATC, in accordance with Republic Act No. 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (ATA), affirms that it has the sole and exclusive authority to designate individuals, groups of persons, organizations, or associations as terrorists,” the council said in a statement.

“This authority carries legal effects, such as the freezing of assets, and is exercised with utmost diligence, guided by existing laws, rules, and regulations, ensuring the protection of fundamental rights and due process,” it added.

According to ATC, no other government agency, officer, or even employee “has the authority to label or brand any individual, groups, or unions as terrorists — in a manner that can be construed as a designation under the ATA.

“All this is in line with the Philippines’ commitment, as a member of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and a signatory to ILO Conventions Nos. 87 and 98, to uphold the principles mandated by these conventions, to include the establishment and maintenance of an environment that supports workers’ free exercise of the right to organize and engage in union activities without interference or fear of reprisal,” the council stressed.

This is an important reminder because the AFP and the PNP routinely harass human rights workers by labelling them terrorists. These human rights workers often include labor organizers even though the Philippines is a committed member of the International Labor Organization which mandates that workers be allowed to organize. 

It is more than ironic that the Philippines celebrates Labor Day on May 1st while fighting a Communist rebellion because May 1st has been a Communist holiday for over a century.

Baguio has provided a safe haven for all "human rights defenders" and the military is having none of it. They are opposed to the idea because the ordinance singles out state actors as being human rights offenders. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1935566/military-opposes-baguio-haven-for-rights-activists

The military has formally objected to a draft Baguio ordinance on providing a safe haven for all “human rights defenders,” including indigenous Filipino activists who suffer from intimidation or violent threats, discrimination and other malicious attacks like “Red-tagging.”

Proposed Ordinance No. 0026-23, which was filed last year, would shield activists from “defamation and stigmatization” and provide them access to “effective remedy and reparation,” among other civil liberty protections, while they are in the summer capital, said Councilor Peter Fianza, an Ibaloy lawyer and one of its authors.

The draft law also takes action against Red-tagging or the linking of groups to the armed communist rebellion, often by state forces.

Addressing the city council at a public consultation on Monday, Army Col. Virgilio Noora, commander of Joint Task Force Baguio and an officer of the Army’s 5th Infantry Battalion, said the military would not back the draft ordinance unless the council removes a provision that blames the government and its employees for all human rights violations.

The draft law defines human rights violations as actions taken by the state or individuals employed by the government, such as “military affiliates, paramilitary, police or military assets, or any agent of the state acting on its behalf.”

It describes human rights defenders as “any person who, individually or in association with others, acts or seeks to act to protect, promote or strive for the … realization of human rights and the fundamental freedoms and welfare of the people through peaceful means.”

Noora said the measure “singled out state agents for committing human rights violations,” when there were also cases of civil rights offenses committed by “nonstate actors.”

“We, too, are human rights defenders,” he argued, adding that soldiers were duty-bound “to uphold the sanctity of human rights,” so their rights must also be protected.

“We did not lose our rights when we became soldiers,” Noora said, as he noted that the draft law was “too broad” and could be abused by “criminals” pretending to be activists.

Task Force Baguio, which he heads, is a collaborative community-relations movement by the military and police that conducts peace rallies and anticommunist lectures in Baguio schools but it has been accused of spreading disinformation about local activists, including college students.

Section 39 of the ordinance addresses “derogatory and unfounded labeling” by requiring the Baguio government to remove posters, tarpaulins and other materials that “promote false, unfounded and derogatory labeling of human rights defenders.”

Law enforcers or public officials found guilty of political vilification, Red-tagging and other offenses “shall issue a clarification… .”

Their failure to “rectify or expunge any false, unfounded and derogatory labeling of human rights defenders shall be grounds for the filing of appropriate administrative charges, without prejudice to the right of their victim to file criminal charges,” the measure stated.

The AFP claims the law is too broad and can be used by "criminals pretending to be activists" thereby showing their utter disdain for human rights activists. But it seems the real issue here is Red-tagging which is the same as designating a group or individual as a terrorist. Remember, only the ATC has that authority. 

Davao was declared insurgency-free two years ago. Funnily enough 9 NPA rebels operating in Davao have surrendered. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1223753

Nine remnants of three dismantled New People's Army (NPA) units in the Davao region recently surrendered to authorities, bringing along various high-powered firearms and war materiel, the Army said in a statement Tuesday.

Brig. Gen. Ronnie Babac, the Philippine Army's 1001st Infantry Brigade commander, said the surrenderers previously operated in their area of responsibility.

In Monkayo, Davao de Oro, four rebels voluntarily surrendered to the Army's 25th Infantry Battalion (IB) on separate occasions—one on April 15, another on April 22, and one each on April 24 and April 27.

Two surrenderers were members of the NPA Dismantled Regional Headquarters of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee, while the other two belonged to the Dismantled Guerrilla Front (DGF) 2.

Babac said the surrenderers turned in four improvised explosive devices and other war materiel.

On April 24, four former members of the DGF 33 operating in the borders of Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, and Agusan del Sur and one former member of the Dismantled Pulang Bagani Command operating in the periphery of Davao de Oro and Davao Oriental surrendered to the 60IB.

The group brought five high-powered firearms consisting of an AR-15 rifle, a Bushmaster rifle, two M16 rifles, and an M14 rifle when they yielded.

"I commend the efforts of the two battalions operationally controlled by the 1001st Infantry Brigade (101Bde) in facilitating the surrender of the remnants of the NPA," Babac said.

He assured that the 1001Bde "remains relentless" in going after NPA remnants despite the declaration of its area of responsibility as insurgency-free.

Never forget insurgency-free NEVER means zero insurgents. It means a negligible number of insurgents who can be easily handled. 

Negros Oriental has been "declared already under a state of Stable Internal Peace and Security" but the troops aren't pulling out just yet.  

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1223754

Government troops deployed to Negros Oriental will not be pulled out despite the province being declared already under a state of Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS), a military official said Tuesday.

Brig. Gen. Joey Escanillas, commander of the Army's 302nd Brigade based in Tanjay City, said the transition from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to the Philippine National Police (PNP) as the lead agency in counter-insurgency operations would be gradual.

"This is not going to be a paradigm shift, but little by little, we will transition our role to supporting the PNP under the SIPS," Escanillas said during a Kapihan sa PIA forum here.

He said the transition, stipulated in the memorandum of agreement between the AFP and PNP, may take up to five years to complete.

This came after the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) passed a resolution last month for the SIPS declaration, following the recommendation of the Provincial Peace and Order Council.

Escanillas said the declaration meant that all guerilla fronts of the New People's Army – the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines – on Negros Island have been dismantled, with just a few remnants left.

This means, he said, a shift in focus of the government's anti-insurgency campaign to primarily law enforcement, involving not just the police but the local government units (LGUs) and government agencies in a whole-of-nation approach.

Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Don Richmond Conag, deputy police provincial director for operations, assured in the same forum that they are ready to take over the lead role from the AFP.

If the AFP supports the PNP doesn't that make the PNP just a subsidiary of the AFP? What difference is there between the PNP and the former Constabulary which was under the auspices of the AFP? Whatever the answer being declared to have internal stability does not mean there is no insurgency and no insurgents. 

Despite the NPA weakening the NICA says the insurgency remains a top priority. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1223928

Gathering crucial intelligence against communists’ activities remains among the priorities of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) despite the weakening of the terrorist group’s armed wing.

In an interview over Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing on Thursday, NICA Deputy Director General for Special Concerns Abelardo Villacorta said communist recruitment activities persist, targeting students and the youth sector.

He said the agency, as head of the National Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict’s (NTF-ELCAC) Situational Awareness and Knowledge Management Cluster, focuses on monitoring these attempts to lure the youth to take up arms against the government.

“There are so many of our youth, the students that are being recruited into the CPP-NPA-NDF  their dreams and their ambitions in life are being destroyed because they are being deceived to join the movement and become members of the NPA,” Villacorta said.

He added that many parents are now cooperating with NICA to help foil the communists' recruitment activities.

“They help us in our situational awareness and knowledge management, and they are a big help,” he said.

Previously, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said the state forces' relentless operations against communists have been very effective in decimating the active New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla fronts.

As of the latest information from the military, the number of guerrilla fronts of the terrorist group has declined to 11.

If the NPA is weakening then how are they able to recruit "so many of our youth?" Seems like a contradiction. Remember when the NICA claimed to know the names of party members and supporters of the NPA? Remember in 2021 the NICA said 300,000 to 400,000 communist party members had infiltrated the government? What happened to all those people? 

Last week the AFP clashed with the BIFF killing 12 this week they closed with the DI killing 5. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/30/five-di-maute-group-members-killed-5-soldiers-wounded-in-lanao-del-norte-clash

Five members of local terror group Daulah Islamiyah-Maute Group died while five soldiers were wounded in a fierce gun battle in Munai, Lanao del Norte on Monday, April 29.

Maj. Gen. Gabriel Viray III, commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division, said the operation stemmed from intelligence reports of the presence of the remnants of the DI-Maute Group in Barangay Cadayonan.

Elements of the First Scout Ranger Regiment were then sent to the area which resulted in the clash at around 3:45 a.m. on Monday which lasted for 45 minutes. 

A second clash erupted during the pursuit operations three hours later which lasted for 10 minutes. 

Viray said the gun battle resulted in the death of five DI-Maute Group members under Nasser Daud.

Seized during the clearing operation were an Ma16 and an M14 rifles, a rifle grenade and other personal belongings of the slain DI-Maute Group members.

But five soldiers were wounded during the clash, according to Viray.

He said all the wounded soldiers are now in stable condition.

Soldiers have been scouring the remote areas of Lanao del Norte and nearby provinces for the presence of the DI-Maute Group, all remnants of the group which was involved in the Marawi siege.

But the government has been also persuading them to surrender.

Even though the DI-Maute Group has been greatly reduced they remain a threat.

Insurgency: Remnants Arrested

There is a new chief of the Visayas Command. At his installation ceremony he vowed the old promise to crush the NPA. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1223368

The new chief of the Visayas Command (Viscom) assured his commitment to continually address insurgency as they prepare for a bigger task in supporting the campaigns in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Lt. Gen. Fernando Reyeg, who was installed to lead the Armed Forces of the Philippines in three central Philippine regions on Wednesday, said the priority of his administration is to ensure stability and security by addressing internal threats.

"We are currently dealing with the fourth communist terrorist group's guerilla fronts, six horizontal platoons, and 10 regional and sub-regional party units," Reyeg said in his speech during the change of command ceremony.

AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner presided over the ceremony at the Viscom headquarters in Camp Lapulapu here.

Reyeg said the military in the Visayas is also committed to managing humanitarian and disaster relief assistance.

He pledged the Army’s continued support for law enforcement agencies.

Reyeg cited the urgency in defeating rebels so that the military could make a gradual shift in meeting external threats and assist the AFP in its thrust in the West Philippine Sea.

"We will secure the region but we will also continue to assist in the national territorial defense," he added.

Can't the AFP both defeat the NPA and defend the West Philippine Sea at the same time? Viscom is actually in the middle of the archipelago so it's not like they can do anything to defend the WPS. As for defeating the NPA in the Visayas, the Northern Negros Front was said to be dismantled but two remnants of the NNF have recently been arrested.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1223465

A joint military and police team arrested two suspected remnants of the dismantled Northern Negros Front (NFF) of the New People's Army (NPA) in a remote area of Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental on Thursday morning.

They were found illegally possessing several firearms, according to a report of the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB), whose troops were joined by personnel of the 1st Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company during the operation.

In an interview, 2nd Lt. Dan Carlo Samoza, civil-military operations officer of 79IB, said the government forces received information on the presence of armed men in Barangay Pinoyawan while conducting joint law enforcement operation in the area.

The two arrested NPA remnants, whose identities were withheld by the authorities for now, are already in the custody of Don Salvador Benedicto Municipal Police Station, he said.

Samoza said the troops recovered from their possession a KG-9 semiautomatic pistol, a caliber .45 pistol, and three 12-gauge shotguns.

Two minors were also found in their company, he said.

“This is still under investigation. We are validating other details with our counterparts,” he added.

Although the Philippine Army has declared the NNF as dismantled, its remnants are still operating in some areas in the northern part of the province.

If the NNF has remnants still operating how can it possibly said to be dismantled? Is it just a propaganda move, a psychological operation against the NPA to prematurely declare they have been defeated? 

The NTF-ELCAC claims the National Democratic Front (NDF) is the top terrorist groomer in the Philippines. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1223292

The National Democratic Front (NDF) remains the "foremost terror-groomer" among the various terrorist groups still operating in the country, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has said.

"Even in the CPP’s (Communist Party of the Philippines) 2016 Constitution, under Article 10, it shows that the NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) is an integral and inseparable part of the CPP-NPA (New People's Army). It is the core and most consolidated group that provides support to the armed and organizational expansion of the CPP," NTF-ELCAC executive director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. said in a statement Tuesday night.

Torres said the pervasive threat posed by the NDF, established 51 years ago on April 24, 1973, undermines the very fabric of Filipino society.

The NDF's orchestration of worker strikes, student boycotts, and protests aimed at destabilizing the government underscores the imperative to confront their malevolent agenda, he added.

"These duplicitous organizations thrive on the suffering of the Filipino people, deceiving innocent individuals to join their corrupted cause and needlessly perish for it," Torres said.

He added that the CPP-NPA-NDF has methodically recruited innocent Filipinos into their armed components, perpetrating terrorist activities nationwide through its deceptive facade of front organizations.

Torres also said the insurgents' exploitation of vulnerable sectors and their manipulation of social issues have sown seeds of violence and anarchy in marginalized communities.

He noted that the targeted recruitment of vulnerable sectors, such as students and youth for terrorist grooming, is part of the "intricate dynamics" of the Underground Mass Organizations (UGMOs) of the CPP-NPA-NDF and their front organizations.

He emphasized the overarching authority of the NDF across diverse sectors within the CPP-NPA-NDF network nationwide.

Torres said “terrorist-grooming activities” are deliberately carried out by UGMOs through front organizations, such as the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) with the Revolutionary Congress of Trade Union as its underground mass organization; Gabriela/ MAKIBAKA (Makabayang Kilusan ng Bagong Kababaihan); ACT/KAGUMA (Katipunan ng mga Gurong Makabayan); and Alliance of Health Workers and HEAD/MASAPA (Makabayang Samahang Pangkalusugan), alongside legal and paralegal organizations.

This is not the first time this claim has been made. But what is the mechanism the leads from student boycotts and worker strikes to picking up a gun and joining the NPA? Moreover how does the NDF being a top terrorist groomer align with the claims that the NPA is dying and almost defeated? 

The BIFF is also on the way to being defeated though they remain dangerous. Recently a clash with the ISIS linked group resulted in the death of two top leaders and 10 followers. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/23/2-top-biff-karialan-faction-leaders-slain-in-maguindanao-clash

Two top leaders of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters-Karialan faction and 10 others were killed in a clash with government forces in Barangay Kitango in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur on April 22, the Philippine Army 6th Infantry Division reported.

Seven government soldiers were reported wounded in the firefight.

In a press statement relased by the 6th Infantry Division, Brig. Gen. Jose Vladimir Cagara, commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, identified the slain BIFF leaders as Mohiden Animbang, popularly known as Kagui Karialan, the group’s leader, and his brother Saga, the rebel group's operations chief.

Cagara added that 10 of their followers were also killed in the intensified military operations that involved troops from the First Scout Ranger Battalion.  

Government troops recovered 12 high-powered firearms.

In a news report over Cotabato City-based dxMS Radyo Bida, BIFF spokesperson Abu Supyan confirmed the death of their two leaders.

Supyan added that the firefight started around 6 a.m. and lasted until 3 p.m.  

He admitted that they were cornered by government troops and pounded by airstrikes.

Even though the BIFF is dwindling the AFP says they expect retaliatory attacks in the wake of the death of their top leader. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/24/soldiers-brace-for-biff-retaliatory-attacks-after-death-of-top-leader

Military forces in Maguindanao and nearby areas have initiated security measures in anticipation of retaliatory attacks from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) following the death of its top leader and 11 other fighters in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town on Monday, April 22.

Lt. Col. Dennis Almorato, spokesperson of the 6th Infantry Division, said a state of high alert has been implemented after the death of BIFF-Karialan Faction chairman Mohiden Animbang.

“We are expecting that they would retaliate but we are very much ready,” said Almorato.

In fact, Almorato said a small group of armed men harassed a military detachment in Datu Hoffer town several hours after the death of Animbang and 11 of his men on April 24. 

The military detachment attacked was some 20 kilometers away from the encounter site where Animbang was killed.

Almorato said no soldier was hurt during the attack during the 30-second strafing.

If they do retaliate the AFP should have no problem handling them.

Insurgency: Insurgency-Free Seal

Another Laguan town has been declared insurgency free.  

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1222918

Paete town was officially declared insurgency-free, making it the fourth municipality in this province to be included in the roster of Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) areas, the Laguna Provincial Police Office (LPPO) announced on Thursday.

Col. Gauvin Mel Unos, acting director of the LPPO, told reporters that Paete follows the lead of Kalayaan and Santa Maria towns, which were declared free of rebel influence in July 2023, and Cavinti town, which received its insurgency-free seal on Feb. 27.

"This declaration is a testament to Laguna citizens’ desire to break free from the clutches of terrorism and instead focus on harnessing their economic potential by ensuring peace within their communities," he said.

Unos disclosed that other jurisdictions within the province are candidates for SIPS status as well, and an evaluation process is being undertaken by the LPPO in collaboration with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

He said that under current government guidelines, a jurisdiction can only be awarded the SIPS seal if no violent terrorist activities have been recorded within its boundaries for at least one year.

Paete is a fourth class municipality in the province of Laguna with a population of 29,945 according to a 2020 census.

The basis for this declaration is that "no violent terrorist activities have been recorded within its boundaries" for a whole year. As we have previously seen that does not mean there are no insurgents. It simply means there have been no violent activities in a 365 day period. But too often the rebels show their faces before long.

The AFP says amnesty is key to ending the insurgency. But the NTF-ELCAC says the Anti-Terrorism Council's redesignation of the CPP-NPA as a terror group is also vital to ending the insurgency. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1222925

The Anti-Terrorism Council's (ATC) move to redesignate the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) as a terror group is a big boost to curb insurgency, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) said Thursday.

In a statement, NTF-ELCAC executive director, Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr., said this is “significant” in the campaign to eliminate all remaining 11 weakened NPA guerilla fronts this year to achieve total victory against the communist movement.

Torres also noted that the ATC conducted a thorough analysis of the data and reaffirmed the CPP-NPA's status as a terrorist organization.

"The CPP-NPA's continued classification is justified by its flagrant violations of Section 4 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), which includes acts of terrorism against government forces and instilling fear among the general population. The CPP-NPA's involvement in numerous crimes resulting in fatalities and widespread disruption underscore the significance of this classification," he explained.

According to the 2023 Global Terrorism Index (GTI), the NPA is ranked 15th among the 20 Deadliest Terror Groups of 2022, underscoring the severe threat posed by the CPP-NPA's terrorist activities.

Torres said the redesignation marks a critical step in the collective efforts to combat terrorism and ensure the safety and security of all citizens.

He also affirmed the NTF-ELCAC's support for the ATC in addressing the challenges posed by terrorist organizations like the CPP-NPA.

"We also welcome ATC Resolution Number 53, which identifies Elizabeth Pineda Principe, known by various aliases, as a terrorist individual," Torres said.

He also added that the resolution "meticulously outlines the reasons" for designating Principe as a terrorist individual.

"It details her involvement in armed encounters, recruitment efforts, and planning sessions aimed at escalating and perpetuating terrorist activities. Principe's role as a high-ranking leader and Central Committee member of the CPP-NPA, as stated in the resolution, strengthens the ATC's decision," Torres said.

He added the designation highlights the severity of Principe's involvement in terrorist activities, as evidenced by her direct participation in armed encounters, sabotage incidents, and recruitment efforts for the CPP-NPA.

Torres stressed that the ATC's thorough examination of evidence gathered by Philippine law enforcement agencies and the military has revealed probable cause for Principe's involvement in terrorist planning, facilitation, and execution.

However, this redesignation occurred in 2020 and the insurgency is still ongoing. 

Recently a clash in Albay resulted in the death of an NPA fighter and the discovery of an arm's cache. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/19/npa-killed-arms-cache-recovered-in-albay

A member of the New People's Army (NPA) was killed and his two comrades were arrested during an encounter in remote Barangay Magogon, Camalig, Albay on Thursday, April 18.

Police Lt. Col. Malu Calubaquib, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-5 (PRO-5), said a concerned citizen reported their presence to authorities.

Police, soldiers, and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency-5 personnel were deployed to the area and engaged an undetermined number of communist rebels. The encounter lasted for about 30 minutes.

No casualty was recorded on the government side. The fatality is yet to be identified.

Arrested were identified as alias Marsi or Masi, 42, a construction worker, and Ka Yeng, 44, a farmer.

Calubaquib said that Marsi had a standing warrant of arrest for attempted murder and destructive arson.

Ka Yeng had a warrant of arrest for murder with no bail recommended.

She said the arrested rebels revealed to the Camalig Municipal Police Station the location of an arms cache in Purok 3, Barangay Panoypoy, Camalig. Troops recovered the weapons stash in a follow-up operation.

PRO-5 Director Police Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon commended operating units for their achievement. 

Another NPA arms cache has been discovered Quezon. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/20/npa-arms-cache-recovered-in-quezon

A New People’s Army (NPA) arms cache was recovered in Barangay Piis here on Friday afternoon, April 19.

Police Major Marnie Abellanida, Lucban police chief, said a rebel returnee reported to them that an arms cache was buried in the area.

The police and military went to the area and excavated war materials composed of a hand grenade, caliber .38 revolver, and explosive devices.

The war materials belong to the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee (STRPC) 4-A.

Meanwhile, two NPA rebels – Sak and Tomas – surrendered to the police in Laguna and Batangas on Friday.

Sak was a member of party-list group Bayan and an organizer of the Southern Tagalog Cultural Network (STCN). He surrendered in Barangay Looc in Calamba City, Laguna.

Tomas turned himself in Camp Col. Jose P. Razon in Barangay Bilaran, Nasugbu, Batangas. He surrendered a caliber .38 with bullets and a rifle grenade.

An NPA arms cache was aslo discoveed in Cagayan. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/20/communist-weapons-stash-found-in-cagayan

A New People’s Army arms cache was unearthed in Alcala, Cagayan on April 19.

A former communist rebel revealed the location of the weapons stash to authorities.

The police and military were deployed to Sitio Banal in Barangay Dalaoig and found 18 40mm cartridge, three short magazines for M16, 75 M16 bullets, 12 .38 caliber ammunition, seven M14 bullets, and seven Carbine ammunition.

These were taken to the Alcala police station for proper disposition.

The operation was part of the efforts of the Cagayan Police Provincial Office led by Police Col. Julio S. Gorospe Jr. to address insurgency in this province. 

Now, we have heard so much about how the AFP wants the remaining NPA to surrender so they can assimilate back into society and avail of the many offered benefits like housing and money. But not all ex-rebels have turned good. Some of them have become hired assassins. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1931421/trader-ex-rebel-ordered-arrested-for-agusan-sur-exec-slay

A Quezon City court has ordered the arrest of a businessman, and a former New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla, so they would be made to answer for their alleged involvement in the killing in 2021 of retired Colonel Samuel Afdal.

Presiding Judge Juris Dilinila-Callanta of Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 85 issued the arrest warrant against Ryan Mark Baylon, president of JB Earthmovers Inc. based in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur, and former rebel Rosalino Degracia alias Okie, for the murder of Afdal, who owned the Rosario Manobo Mining Corp. (RMMC).

No bail was recommended.

Baylon and Degracia are among four identified suspects in the ambush of Afdal on Oct. 26, 2021, in Sta. Cruz village of Rosario town, Agusan del Sur as he was driving along an uphill road toward the RMMC base camp.

Although hit, the former soldier managed to drive toward the RMMC compound and sought help. He was rushed to a local hospital where he later lapsed into a coma and died on Nov. 15, 2021.

A third suspect, Alemar Awado alias Dongkoy, also a former NPA guerrilla, had been detained in a jail in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur for another murder charge.

The case of Afdal is now heard in a Quezon City court after the Supreme Court granted the prayer of his widow, Evelyn, the main complainant, for transfer of venue from Regional Trial Court Branch 6 in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.

Before the transfer of venue, Agusan del Sur provincial prosecutor Ceferino Dino Paredes indicted Awado, Baylon, and Degracia for Afdal’s ambush before the court in Prosperidad last Jan. 31.

In his Jan. 18 resolution, Paredes gave credence to the accounts of the fourth suspect, former NPA rebel Jeffrey Mamerto, who admitted to have staged the ambush against Afdal, known to his associates as Saga.

On the basis of his admission, Mamerto pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of homicide and was meted a 10-year prison term by Prosperidad RTC Presiding Judge Emily Zen Chua.

Mamerto was indicted for the crime in November 2022 but it was only in October 2023 that he confessed about his role in it.

Mamerto had pointed to Baylon, Afdal’s business associate, as the mastermind of the kill plot, allegedly offering his former NPA colleagues Degracia and Awado P200,000 to do the hit job. Mamerto, in turn, was contracted for P50,000 to pull the trigger against Afdal.

This whole hit against retired Colonel Samuel Afdal was carried out by ex-rebels who have surrendered. One of them surrendered four years ago in January, 2020. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1092354

The Army’s 75th Infantry Battalion reported Wednesday (January 29) the surrender of four regular members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Surigao del Sur.

Lt. Col. Warren Munda, 75IB commander, identified the four NPA rebels with their aliases as “Lupin”, “Randy”, “Gaston”, and “Dongkoy,” who were assigned to the Guerrilla Front 14 (GF-14), North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC), of the NPA.

Munda said the surrenderers turned over firearms and ammunition when they yielded in Barangay Maharlika, Bislig City, Surigao del Sur, on January 27.

The Army official welcomed the surrender of the four NPA rebels, saying the government is always open and ready to accept rebels who would decide to return to the fold of the law.

“We will help you to start anew, and together we will help each other bringing high hopes for our community to be more developed and peaceful,” Munda said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

In the same statement, one of the former rebels identified as “Lupin” said they could no longer bear the hardships they experience in the hinterlands of Surigao del Sur.

Lupin said they were also motivated to yield because of their desire to reunite with their families.

 

Munda said the four former rebels will be enrolled in the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) for them to receive immediate cash and livelihood assistance as well as remuneration for the surrendered firearms.

“We will help you to start anew, and together we will help each other bringing high hopes for our community to be more developed and peaceful," says the AFP. And several of them have returned to their old ways. Is this a rare event? Even if it is not it underscores the fact that NPA rebels are criminals and need to be prosecuted and imprisoned, not given taxpayer funded benefits or amnesty.