CPP-NPA now a weak group, gov’t intelligence officials claim

From the Manila Bulletin (Oct 31): CPP-NPA now a weak group, gov’t intelligence officials claim

The police and military intelligence community on Tuesday claimed that the remaining strength of the New People’s Army (NPA), armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), was already weak, and had already turned to banditry to survive.

In a declassified assessment report obtained by The Manila Bulletin from police and military intelligence sources, it was disclosed that the remaining guerrilla fronts of the CPP-NPA northeastern north-central and northern Mindanao Regional Committees were already dwindling in numbers, as more are returning to the fold of the law due to hardship in the mountains.

“Some of them already turned into banditry while other remaining guerrilla fronts also engaged in their force extortion activities,” said a police intelligence officer who requested anonymity as he was not authorized to issue any statement to media.

He said the basis of their assessment was the capture of six NPA rebels in San Luis, Agusan del Sur last week, where several high-powered weapons and bomb-making materials were seized from them including an NPA flag.

With the combined efforts of the police and Army, the six NPAs were arrested through search warrants issued by a local court in Agusan del Sur province and their fate was revealed during the initial tactical interrogation, the police intelligence officer added.

“I can say that (CPP-NPA is weak) because of the documents seized during recent separate gunbattles in San Luis, Agusan del Sur and in upper far-flung areas in Butuan City,” another Army intelligence officer who also requested anonymity when asked by The Manila Bulletin on Tuesday.

He said that based on the testimonies of some surrenderers in Bukidnon, and in some parts in Caraga region, the strength of the NPA fighting force was already decreasing due to hardship of trying to survive in the mountains.

Last week, a ranking military officer in the region suggested to create or add two more Army combat maneuvering battalions to be deployed in Agusan and Surigao provinces to help the existing fighting force of the AFP and PNP in the region to completely crush the remaining insurgents.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2017/10/31/cpp-npa-now-a-weak-group-govt-intelligence-officials-claim/