The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Saturday
announced that the 10th Infantry Division is steadily graining ground in its
ongoing campaign against the New People’s Army (NPA) in the Davao Region.
Major Gen. Eduardo Ano, 10th Infantry Division commander,
said that his unit has seen the decline of the number of NPA bandits in his
area of responsibility.
“The number of NPA bandits in this part of the country has
significantly dwindled this year with the killing of 39 and the arrest of 21
others during law enforcement operations. Our troops have also confiscated 77
high-powered firearms and 128 improvised bombs,” he said.
Ano credited civilians for providing accurate information
about the presence of bandits in far-flung communities.
“Civilian tipsters are instrumental to our focused-military
operations. People who are extorted money by the NPA bandits, have collaborated
with us in pinpointing jungle hideouts, and most importantly, in identifying
notorious bandits who mingle with plain civilians,” Ano said.
The 10th Infantry Division has also accounted for 142 NPA
surrenderees, the latest of which was the laying down of firearms by 39 former
rebels last Dec. 9.
All of the former rebels were given the chance for a better
and peaceful life under the government’s Comprehensive Local Integration
Program.
Each of them received Php50,000 each in livelihood
assistance.
In the third quarter of 2014, the NPA’s strength in the
Davao Region was 1,019 members with 1,352 firearms but that number was down to
993 and 1,321 respectively this fourth quarter.
The 10th Infantry Division has also successfully arrested
high-ranking leaders of the NPA in the area.
Among the notorious bandit leaders who were collared in the
law enforcement operations with the police this year are Felix Amordia, Roy
Erecre, Dominiciano Muya and Jordan Donillo.
“The CPP-NPA-NDF in the region is suffering a leadership
crisis with the arrest of their well-experienced and ranking leaders. This is
the reason why they are trying to recruit out-of-school youths and college
students to fill the gaps,” he said.
After reducing the number of armed bandits of specific towns
to a manageable level, the Army and the local government units have jointly
declared the municipalities of Nabunturan in Compostela Valley Province and
Trentro town in Agusan del Sur as ‘Conflict Manageable, Development Ready’.
Ano said that development projects have started pouring in
after clearing these two municipalities of armed bandits.
“Both the national and local government have implemented
development projects worth Php 573 million. The poor people in depressed areas
will surely benefit from these projects that include infrastructure development
and socio-economic projects that provide income opportunities,” he said.
The Army had also pursued community services in
collaboration with other stakeholders such as the Serbisyo Caravan of the
Association of Regional Executives of National Agencies-XI last Nov. 30 which
benefited more than 2,000 Indigenous People (IP) residents of Kapalong Davao
del Norte from the medical, dental, literacy outreach services.
Ano said that he supports any calls for the resumption of
peace talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF.
He added that the Filipino people have suffered so much
after more than four decades of armed violence perpetrated by the communist
movement.
“There is no real winner in this internal armed conflict so
we must work together to end these bloodshed peacefully. Those who are affected
in the NPA’s use of armed violence and their criminal activities such as
extortion, kidnapping and murder, are all Filipinos," Ano said.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=719786
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