AFP claims success over IPSP Bayanihan

From the Daily Tribune (Feb 7): AFP claims success over IPSP Bayanihan

Despite the claimed success of the military’s internal peace and security plan (IPSP) “Bayanihan,” more than 100 government security personnel and at least 53 civilians were killed by the communist New People’s Army (NPA) during 374 atrocities in 2012 in various parts of the country.

In a press statement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Public Affairs Office (AFP-PAO) said that the NPAs killed at least one civilian every week last year.

“The NPAs were responsible for 374 violent incidents recorded for 2012 which caused the death of 53 civilians over the country. Rounding up the statistics, an innocent civilian is killed by the NPA every week last year,” the AFP said.

“These violent incidents perpetrated by the NPA also resulted in the killings of 81 members of the AFP, eight from the Philippine National Police (PNP), and 22 Cafgu Active Auxiliary (CAA),” it added.

The military claimed that the 2012 NPA atrocities have decreased compared to 2011attacks blamed to the communist armed group which totalled 447, composed mostly of harassments and ambuscades.
On the other hand, the AFP claimed to have neutralized 555 NPA personalities last year, 367 of whom voluntarily surrendered to the government.

AFP chief of staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista has claimed the success of the IPSP “Bayanihan” which is designed to defeat the country’s insurgency problem by 2016.The IPSP “Bayanihan” is a paradigm shift from the combat approach to whole-of-nation approach to address insurgency.

Bautista vowed the military’s continued commitment to the peace process but maintained that efforts to address communist atrocities will remain.

“We will continue to intensify our focused security operations against armed rebels who continue to wage armed violence causing loss of innocent lives, destruction of properties, and damage to vital economic facilities and infrastructures,” he added.

Last year, the military placed the NPA strength at 4,043.

Maj. Emmanuel Garcia, deputy chief of the AFP-PAO, said the military’s working figures on the strength on the NPA at end 2012 at approximately 4,000.

“With the continuous deception and recruitment of the NPAs, we cannot determine the exact number of NPA rebels,” said Garcia.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/item/10192-afp-claims-success-over-ipsp-bayanihan