NPA guerilla front in Samar dismantled; another one expiring

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 14, 2023): NPA guerilla front in Samar dismantled; another one expiring (By Sarwell Meniano)

DISMANTLED. Soldiers of the Army's 43rd Infantry Batallion display some of the firearms recovered from captured fighters of the New People's Army front committee 2 in the mountains of Calbayog City, Samar province in this Feb. 7, 2023 photo. There are only two active NPA guerilla fronts in Samar Island with the dismantling of one front and weakening of another during the first quarter of 2023, the Philippine Army reported on Friday (April 14, 2023). (Photo courtesy of Philippine Army)

TACLOBAN CITY – There are now only two active New People’s Army (NPA) guerilla fronts in Samar Island that the government forces will deal with following the dismantling of one front and weakening of another during the first quarter of 2023, the Philippine Army bared on Friday.

Army's 8th Infantry Division commander, Major Gen. Camilo Ligayo, said the rebel’s Front Committee 2 that operated in the boundary of Samar and Northern Samar provinces was demolished with the capture and surrender of some of their combatants and recovery of several firearms.

The Front Committee 3 which operates near the boundaries of Northern and Eastern Samar provinces has also weakened following the series of operations conducted by government forces, said Ligayo.

The Army official said he was optimistic that the remaining two NPA guerilla fronts in Northern Samar will soon be demolished during the third quarter of the year.

“With the strength of 12 army battalions, including police forces, I am confident that we have optimized the employment of our capabilities to ensure that we win the fight against communist terrorists,” Ligayo said in a statement.

Col. Efren Morados, commander of the Army’s 803rd Infantry Brigade said although Front committees 1 and 15 are still active, they are not in control of any village in Northern Samar.

“They are still present in Northern Samar since the focus in the past was the Leyte and other Samar provinces. Since 2020, we have cleared all villages, cut their support from communities, and now we are on the stage of running after their armed fighters,” Morados said.

In 2020, there were 232 NPA-influenced villages out of 569 villages in Northern Samar province.
The two remaining fronts are in the upland villages of Catubig, Las Navas, Silvino Lobos, Palapag, Mapanas, and Gamay.

“They are in the hinterland villages. Since there is no support from communities, they survive by harvesting coconut, upland rice, and other crops in the mountains,” Morados said.

Some upland communities in Northern Samar are considered the hotbed of the communist terrorist group due to their thick forest and poor road networks.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1199419