Crushing communist force in E. Mindanao crucial to defeating NPA nationwide - AFP general

From InterAksyon (Jan 13): Crushing communist force in E. Mindanao crucial to defeating NPA nationwide - AFP general

Crushing the communist rebels' armed strength and political influence in Eastern Mindanao would be crucial to the collapse of the New People's Army (NPA) nationwide, according to a high-ranking military official.

"The key to defeating the insurgency rests on Eastern Mindanao units. We defeat it here, we defeat it nationwide," Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) chief Lieutenant General Aurelio Baladad declared before officers and men of the area command during their annual "New Year's call".

He admitted, however, that defeating the NPA, which marks its 46th founding anniversary, remains an uphill battle. The NPA is the armed component of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

"Although the CPP-NPA remains as a continuing challenge as we force them to abandon the armed struggle, as long as we sustain and are focused on the implementation of our campaign, we will be victorious. These are the challenges brought on by the New Year," Baladad told the officers and men of the area command during their annual "New Year's call".

The Maoist-inspired communist rebellion in the Philippines is the longest in Asia.

The command covers the Caraga and Davao regions with three infantry divisions - 1st, 4th and 10th. These regions in Mindanao host many various Indigenous Peoples (IPs) battling the foreign and local mining and logging activities within their amcestral domains, who are deemed easy prey to recruitment by the CPP-NPA.

One of the tasks of the AFP is to secure and protect mining investments in the country.

Using its the latest data, the military claimed it had reduced the number of Red fighters to more or less 3,000 from less than 5,000 more than a decade ago. The NPA peaked to at least 25,000 in the 1980s.

At present, the military said the center of gravity of the NPA is in Eastern Mindanao.

Last year, the military arrested top CPP-NPA leasders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon along with five other ranking leaders in Cebu.

The military said the arrest of the Tiamzons dealt a big blow to the rebel movement,  but CPP founder Jose Maria Sison, known by his nickname Joma, has scoffed at this claim.

"Despite the many challenges that hampered our drive, we were able to degrade [the CPP-NPA and National Democratic Front] armed capability through significant number of recovered, captured and surrendered firearms, significant number of surrenderees, captured high-value NPA personalities and numerous major engagements," Baladad said.

The general credited "noteworthy innovations initiated by our different units, especially in dealing with the IPs which is being highly praised by the higher headquarters," for his command's operational gains.

Baladad, however, did not give details of what he called innovations his units implemented to degrade  the capability of the CPP-NPA, except generally attributing this to the AFP's counter-insurgency program. Called Internal Peace and Security Plan or IPSP Bayanihan,  it replaced the OPLAN Bantay Laya, which human rights groups had criticized.

"By our campaign plan’s timeline, we should have cleared Camiguin and Dinagat Island last 2014 and I would like to congratulate 4ID specifically 401st Brigade for successfully spearheading the clearing of Dinagat Island province. While by our 2015 timeline, we should have substantially accomplished much of our goals in normalizing three provinces in 10ID AOR, four in 4ID, and sustain  our focus until those provinces are finally cleared at the end of the year. It is winning time for Panagdait Mindanao and we should be confident for that," Baladad urged his men.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/102927/crushing-communist-force-in-e--mindanao-crucial-to-defeating-npa-nationwide---afp-general