NPA force in Abra at ‘low point’ as townsfolk clamor for peace

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 18, 2023): NPA force in Abra at ‘low point’ as townsfolk clamor for peace (By Liza Agoot)

SPENT FORCE. Brig. Gen. Ferdinand Melchor dela Cruz, commander of the Philippine Army's 501st Infantry Brigade, says Tuesday (July 18, 2023) that the New People's Army (NPA) in the province is at its weakest as locals have become supportive of the government's peace and development efforts. He said former NPA supporters now consider the rebels "unwanted" in their communities. (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot)

BANGUED, Abra – The Philippine Army in Abra said the New People's Army (NPA) in the province is now at its ‘lowest point’ as locals now want peace and development versus giving support to the terrorist organization.

Brig. Gen. Ferdinand Melchor dela Cruz, commander of the Army's 501st Infantry Brigade (501st IBde), said in an interview on Tuesday that “nali-limit na lang sila sa areas na master nila. Meron pa silang kaunting mga supporters kaya lang iyong mga dati nilang supporters na din ang nag drive-out sa kanila (their area is just now limited to terrains that they are familiar with. They still have a few supporters but those who drove them out of the community are also their previous supporters) who opt to have peace and development in their places."

The 501st IBde covers the whole of Abra and four towns of Mountain Province aside from Region 1.

Dela Cruz cited the tri-boundaries of Abra, Mountain Province and Ilocos where the former supporters were the ones who declared the rebels as "unwanted" in their communities and urged them to surrender and lay down their arms.

He advised the public to stop supporting the remaining NPA insurgents, encourage them to surrender and support the peace efforts of the government.

“When they are weak, they cannot terrorize, they cannot sow terror and they cannot make the people afraid of them. Let us take advantage of this situation when the NPAs are so weak. Let us continue to support the call for their surrender,” the Army officer said.

Dela Cruz also cited the gains of the whole-of-nation approach to ending the insurgency, where various government agencies put their resources together to bring development in far-flung areas targeted by the NPAs.

He said the people feel the government’s presence and support its development efforts, including the construction of roads, provision of livelihood, electrification and education for the youth.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1205890