Thanks to the successful implementation of its Internal
Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) "Bayanihan", the Armed Forces of the
Philippine (AFP) announced that the number of New People's Army (NPA) fighters
has been steadily decreasing.
IPSP "Bayanihan" was first implemented in 2010. It
is the military strategy which seeks to erode rebel influence in the
countryside by community development projects coupled with security operations.
"We have dealt a big blow against the NPA as their
strength decreased to about 3,200 NPA remnants this year. This is due to the
intensified focused military operations that resulted to the neutralization of
90 members who were killed in clashes, 106 who were arrested and filed with
cases and 521 others who voluntarily surrendered to government forces,"
said AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc.
He said that the reduction in rebel strength is also
associated with the current leadership crisis within the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist
Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-Communist Party of the Philippines)
following the capture of their national and regional leaders to include Benito
and Wilma Tiamzon, Eugenia Magpantay-Topacio, Agathon Topacio and Arnold
Jaramillo.
"They are also considering going back to the
negotiating table, which the AFP supports because it is in line with our IPSP
'Bayanihan' that calls for winning peace and for the CPP-NPA to abandon the
armed struggle," he added.
With the intensified stakeholder’s engagement program
through the active involvement of local chief executives from the provincial
down to the barangay levels, Cabunoc said, the AFP has effectively facilitated
the delivery of public services to the people by facilitating the consultations
in the local level so that all social issues would be taken cared of.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=721119
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