13 ‘weakened’ NPA guerrilla fronts remaining in PH – AFP

Posted to CNN Philippines (Jan 14, 2024): 13 ‘weakened’ NPA guerrilla fronts remaining in PH – AFP (By CNN Philippines Staff)

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 14) — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Sunday said there are still 13 New Peoples' Army (NPA) guerilla fronts scattered across the country but claimed they have already lost their capabilities.

"Yes, 13 weakened, mahina na [weak already]. They are scattered all over the country, merong Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao," AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar told CNN Philippines, describing the supposed state of the remaining guerilla fronts in the country.


The military's statement came after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on Saturday that there were no more active NPA guerilla fronts and that the government could now claim victory over the armed group.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) described the president as being "in dreamland" for making such a claim, adding that the "NPA is far from defeated," according to a response sent to CNN Philippines on Sunday.

"I think ang sinasabi diyan is wala ng active na [what he is saying is that there are no longer] guerilla fronts ang CPP-NPA, which means na they no longer able to implement party programs that will enable the party to recruit new members and generate resources and establish a united front against the government," Medel said.

READ: PH now has zero active NPA guerrilla fronts Marcos

He added that most of the remaining members, who allegedly are mostly students, farmers, and workers, are "on the run and hiding."

Aguilar said they are still validating their record on the number of NPA members in the country, which stood at 1,600 remaining members as of the third quarter of 2023.

The AFP official said the guerilla fronts have weakened because of the government's efforts to address the roots of the rebels' armed struggle.

RELATED STORIES:
Marcos grants amnesty to members of rebel groups
Gov't, NDFP agree to resume peace talks

Marcos earlier reported that the government has neutralized almost 1,400 members of "communist and terrorist groups."

Aguilar again appealed to rebels to lay down their arms and return to their families.

"We would like them to go back to our communities, to embrace peace, and to be reunited with their family because this has long been delayed because they were recruited, and they were tasked to do hostile activities that do not bring good results to our communities," Aguilar concluded.
CPP: NPA active in 14 regional commands

In a statement to CNN Philippines on Sunday, CPP chief information officer Marco Valbuena claimed that Marcos made the pronouncement "to play to the desires of foreign investors whom he desperately wants to entice with promises of unlimited access to the country's land and natural resources."

Valbuena said the party's armed wing "remains active in 14 regional commands across the country each with a number of guerrilla fronts."

"If Marcos's declarations were true, why is it that around 60-70,000 military and police combat troops (or around 150 battalions of AFP and PNP counterinsurgency units) remain deployed against the NPA across the country?" he said. "Why do they continue to squander hundreds of millions of pesos to drop bombs and fire their howitzers?"

Valbuena said the armed group "has learned its lessons" and is "determined to frustrate" the offensives of the AFP.

"The NPA continues to carry out guerilla maneuvers to break out of the AFP's encirclement, to quietly build a bigger mass base and expand its guerilla fronts," he said. "It will continue to mount tactical offensives to strike at the enemy's weak points."

[CNN Philippines correspondent Daniza Fernandez contributed to this story.]

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2024/1/14/armed-forces-npa-guerrilla-fronts.html#google_vignette

Access Of Retired AFP, PNP Officers To Camps Reportedly Restricted Amid Destab Rumors

From Politiko (Jan 14, 2024): Access Of Retired AFP, PNP Officers To Camps Reportedly Restricted Amid Destab Rumors (By Nancy Carvajal)

The access of retired military and police officers to Camps Aguinaldo and Crame has reportedly been restricted amid rumors of a brewing destabilization attempt, Politiko has learned.

The access of retired military and police officers to Camps Aguinaldo and Crame has reportedly been restricted amid rumors of a brewing destabilization attempt, Politiko has learned.

“The issuance of stickers to retired officials for unhampered entry to all camps has allegedly been put on hold and under review in order to avoid any untoward incident,” an Iskooper from the intelligence community said.

Retired military and police officers were previously given unimpeded access to all camps, provided they had proper coordination.

While ranking officials of both the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) have quashed rumors of unrest among uniformed personnel, an Iskooper said there are reportedly “aggressive talks with promises” made by certain individuals to soldiers and the police.

The Iskooper declined to elaborate on the supposed promises made to the uniformed personnel, but said it was “the usual.”

Police and soldiers, however, appear to be indifferent to the supposed advances made by retired officers.

“Bakit kami susunod sa retired, this is now our time to serve, huwag na kami idamay diyan,’’ the Iskooper said.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte has denied any involvement in any supposed destabilization attempts against the Marcos administration.

The AFP and PNP have affirmed their loyalty to the Constitution.

https://politiko.com.ph/2024/01/14/access-of-retired-afp-pnp-officers-to-camps-reportedly-restricted-amid-destab-rumors/headlines/

Ex-NPA rebel yields with gun, explosives

From the Daily Guardian (Jan 15, 2024: Ex-NPA rebel yields with gun, explosives (By Glazyl Y. Masculino)

BACOLOD City – An alleged former member of the New People’s Army (NPA) voluntarily surrendered to the police and turned over a firearm and explosives at the 2nd MP Patrol Base, 1st Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company (Nocpmfc) in Barangay Bunga, Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental last Thursday.

A certain “Dong,” 47, of San Carlos City, was a former member of the dismantled Northern Negros Front-Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor (KR-NCBS), according to the police.

He turned over an improvised 12-gauge shotgun, a 40mm grenade, a blasting cap, and two detonating cords.

As immediate assistance, he received a sack of rice.

He will undergo processing and documentation for endorsement to the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), and the Project: Pag-Ulikid Initiative, wherein he will receive appropriate project benefits.

The Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 commended the efforts of the police for the said development.

“This act signifies the positive impact of our anti-insurgency campaign,” said Police Brigadier General Sidney Villaflor, PRO-6 director.

Villaflor urged the community and other individuals involved in insurgency activities to follow this example.

“We offer a path to rehabilitation and reintegration through the government programs. Your cooperation is crucial in achieving lasting peace and development in our region,” he said in a statement.

https://dailyguardian.com.ph/ex-npa-rebel-yields-with-gun-explosives/#google_vignette

6th ID unite to ensure security of investment hubs

From the Philippine Star (Jan 14, 2024): LGUs, 6th ID unite to ensure security of investment hubs (John Unson)

The Army's 6th Infantry Division covers neighboring Bangsamoro and Region 12 provinces and cities in central Mindanao.  Philstar.com / John Unson

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — The Army’s 6th Infantry Division and local government units are to expand cooperation in securing the surrender of more local terrorists to sustain the peace spreading around now in potential investment destinations in provinces under its jurisdiction.

Two provincial governors, Emmylou Taliño Mendoza of Cotabato and Reynaldo Tamayo of South Cotabato, are among local officials who assured to help reintroduce to mainstream society former members of the outlawed Dawlah Islamiya, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the New People’s Army who had pledged allegiance to the government.

Major Gen. Alex Rillera, commander of 6th ID, said on Sunday that they have intensified reaching out to the few remaining members of the Dawlah Islamiya and the BIFF to make them understand that while Army units in Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat provinces are active in anti-terror tactical maneuvers, military camps in all six areas are open to terrorists wishing to surrender.

“These efforts of the 6th ID, the provincial governors and the mayors are meant to sustain the noticeable improvements now in the economy of the provinces and cities being secured by units of our division,” Rillera said.

Rillera said Tamayo, chairperson of the South Cotabato provincial peace and order council, helped the 6th ID reintegrate to the local communities almost 80 Dawlah Islamiya, BIFF and NPA members from across his province who had surrendered in batches in 2023.

Tamayo said on Sunday that his administration is also keen on inviting local and foreign capitalists to put up viable agricultural projects in hinterlands that the 6th ID had cleared from NPA presence in the past three years.

In its yearend report dispatched to media outfits in central Mindanao last month, the 6th ID said its units had neutralized 535 Dawlah Islamiya, BIFF and NPA members in field engagements last year. The report was corroborated by mayors in towns where soldiers and members of the three groups figured in deadly gunfights.

The 6th ID, the Region 12 and the Bangsamoro regional police offices and LGUs in central Mindanao had worked out the surrender of 914 Dawlah Islamiya, BIFF and NPA members in the past 12 months.

Mendoza, who is chairperson of the Regional Development Council-12, said she and her constituent-mayors are glad with the fragile peace now in the 63 Bangsamoro barangays in Cotabato that are inside Region 12, but are administratively under the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“We have seen the surrender of so many enemies of the government from these 63 barangays in the past 24 months. These areas are now safe for big agricultural projects that can provide employment for local residents,” Mendoza said.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2024/01/14/2325787/lgus-6th-id-unite-ensure-security-investment-hubs