THE EASTERN Mindanao Command said the influence of the New People’s Army in the region is “dwindling,” as two soldiers were turned over to Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday afternoon.
Lt. Gen. Aurelio Baladad, head of the EastMinCom, said the return of Pfc. Nino Alabazo and Marjon Anover, abducted last Sept. 30 in Barangay Casoon, Monkayo, Compostela Valley only serve to prove their assessment that the NPA is weakening because it’s operations are limited to “soft targets.”
“In January this year, their forces in Eastern Mindanao numbered to 1,982, and as of Nov. 1, we currently have 430 of their members,” said Baladad in an interview with media at Camp Felix Apolinario in Panacan.
“That is about 22% of their forces [that went down],” he added.
Alabaso and Anover were on board a motorcycle after leaving their detachment in Barangay Banlag when flagged down by an NPA checkpoint.
Mayor Rodrigo Duterte facilitated the release of the soldiers in Monkayo and also accompanied them to the army camp in Davao.
“I am not aware of any conditions that they set for the release,” said Baladad, adding they were not involved in the communication process between Duterte and the New Peoples Army.
While Baladad expressed that NPA forces in their jurisdiction were lessening, he said this did not mean abductions of army members might stop entirely.
“[We] cannot rule out any more abduction, but with what they are doing, they are only hitting the soft targets. But the AFP is in a better situation regarding the NPA than at the start of the year,” he said.
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