Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade, Jr., Southern Luzon Command chief (PNA File photo)
MANILA – Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) terrorist units in Bicol continue to crumble due to sustained community support program (CSP) and combat operations being conducted by the Army’s 9th Infantry Division.
This, according to Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) chief, Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade, Jr., in a statement forwarded to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) Sunday.
“The CPP NPA is hurt badly with the sustained CSP and combat operations of 9th Infantry Division in Bicol which (led) to the surrender of 11 NPAs in Castilla, Sorsogon including Danilo Guray y Golem alias 'JR', Vice company officer of Platoon 1, Larangan 2, KP3, BRPC (Bicol Regional Party Committee) turning in 11 M-16 rifles,” Parlade said.
Another batch of nine NPAs belonging to Sentro De Grabidad, L2, KP3 under alias 'Alas' surrendered in Bulan, all with high powered firearms, also yesterday (Saturday) This trend of NPAs surrendering in droves has been observed in Bicol, particularly Sorsogon-Albay and Masbate, he added.
Out of its desperate efforts to stop its defeat, he said the BRPC has dispatched its assassinations teams to get even with government forces to extent of treacherously targeting unarmed soldiers.
"A Sparu (Special Partisan Unit) murder squad assassinated three Army soldiers on 17 January at 8:15 a.m. in Bariis, Legaspi City. The three were on administration mission, in civilian clothes, and were riding their motorcycles to attend coordination meeting with LGUs (local government units) for the security of a major road construction project in Bankerohan- Villahermosa when they were treacherously attacked," said Parlade, who is also spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC).
He called this latest CPP-NPA move in Bicol a "desperate one".
"It was reported that they also harassed the remaining members of SDG (Sentro de Grabidad) who were about to join the surrenderers last night (Jan. 17) in Sorsogon. This is an attempt to prevent others from coming down to live normal and more peaceful lives. The surrender of more NPAs, however, cannot be prevented as many of them are tired, hungry, and demoralized with the illicit activities of their leaders," he said.
The surrenderers, he added, revealed that KP3 Secretary Arnel Estiller alias 'Mando' is having an illicit affair with the wife of one of their comrades that only confirms the sexual opportunism happening in the underground.
“Last December 27, 2020, Mary Jane Ganay alias 'Elsie' surrendered in Mindoro after she was raped by her Sparu platoon leader alias 'Kenjie'. The surrenderers stated that some of their comrades already went on AWOL (absence without leave), but added that the Region (BRPC) is trying to revive KP3 by sending some personnel and is set to sanction alias 'Mando'," he said.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
Parlade urged remaining NPA members in the Southern Luzon area that there is still time to give up their causeless armed struggle and live peaceful lives with their families and loved ones.
"The government is reaching out to the remaining members of the NPAs in Southern Luzon to give up the armed struggle. There is still time," he added. (PNA)
