Army steps up talks with families of active rebels in Leyte

From the Philippine News Agency (May 28, 2024): Army steps up talks with families of active rebels in Leyte (By Sarwell Meniano)

INSURGENCY FIGHT. Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, commander of the 802nd Infantry Brigade. The Army official said on Tuesday (May 28, 2024) that they are stepping up dialogues with the families of the remaining 19 active New People’s Army combatants in Leyte province. (Photo courtesy of Philippine Army)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine Army is stepping up on its dialogues with families of the remaining 19 active New People’s Army (NPA) combatants in Leyte in a bid to completely wipe out insurgency in the province.

Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, commander of the 802nd Infantry Brigade, said Tuesday they have been working with local government and even village officials to talk to the rebels’ families.

“We believe these families still have contacts with their loved ones who are still active in the armed struggle. They will be instrumental in convincing their family members to surrender,” Vestuir said in a statement.

The military and local government also extended assistance to family members to ensure that they will not be persuaded to support the armed rebellion.

Of the 19 active NPA rebels who are native to Leyte, six are from Mahaplag town; four from Kananga; two each from Jaro and Albuera; and one each from Carigara, Alangalang, MacArthur, Baybay City, and Hindang town.

Their affiliation with the NPA is a setback in declaring their hometowns as having stable internal peace and security or a full rebel-free status.

But not all NPA members who hail from Leyte are operating in their home province since some are in Samar provinces, according to Vestuir.

The regular dialogue is part of the Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade’s Friends Rescued Engagement through Their Families (FReE Families) initiative.

It is a local government-led peace engagement program aimed at calling upon the remaining NPA members to lay down their arms and embrace peace through their families and loved ones.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1225726