211 Anakpawis members, supporters pledge allegiance to gov't

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 27, 2023): 211 Anakpawis members, supporters pledge allegiance to gov't (By Roselle Aquino)

SIGNING FOR PEACE. A total of 211 former supporters of Anakpawis party-list and communist terrorist groups in Taytay town, Rizal province seal their withdrawal of support from the rebel organization by affixing their signatures in a peace covenant on Sunday (Feb. 26, 2023). The local government pledged continued assistance to the Taytay Municipal Task Force–ELCAC (End Local Communist Armed Conflict) partnership that resulted in the mass withdrawal of support to the left-leaning groups. (Photo courtesy of 202nd Brigade, PA)

CAVINTI, Laguna – A total of 211 members and supporters of Anakpawis and communist terrorist groups (CTGs) have publicly withdrawn their support from the rebel movement during a ceremony facilitated by the Taytay Municipal Task Force–ELCAC (End Local Communist Armed Conflict) held Taytay town, Rizal province on Sunday.

Anakpawis, a party-list group claiming to represent the marginalized sectors of workers, peasants, fisher folks, minorities, urban and rural poor, and an electoral wing of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and the peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), has long been identified by authorities as one of the legal fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and recruitment ground for its armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA).

In the program at Sitio Pyramid, Barangay Dolores, the former CTG supporters shared their experiences of being deceived by the left-leaning organization. They expressed appreciation for the government’s continuous awareness campaign that led to their withdrawal of support and membership from the CPP-NPA sectoral organizations.

Brig. Gen. Cerilo Balaoro Jr., commander of the 202nd Infantry Brigade, commended the former Anakpawis members and supporters for their brave decision to discontinue their support for Anakpawis.

"Your disaffiliation and withdrawal of support is an opportunity for all of you to tread your own path away from any deception and manipulation by the communist terrorist groups. I also thank the local government unit (LGU) of Taytay for making this activity possible and for the continuous support and assistance to its constituents. This occasion reflects the level of cooperation among the security sector, the local government units, and the national government,” Balaoro said in a social media post.

For his part, Taytay Mayor Allan Martine de Leon said: “The military is fighting this decades-long insurgency and the government realized that the security forces cannot solve this insurgency problem alone. If we want a better future for our children, we must do our part and work together to end this insurgency that hinders peace and development in our community.”

He reiterated the importance of former President Rodrigo Duterte's Executive Order No. 70 which institutionalizes the whole-of-nation approach in ending local communist armed conflicts.

De Leon also assured that the LGU of Taytay will continue to provide assistance in addressing issues in the community.

As an affirmation of their disaffiliation and withdrawal from Anakpawis and CTGs, the former members and supporters pledged allegiance to the government and burned CPP-NPA flags.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1196143