NEUTRALIZED. The casualties of a major clash between soldiers and rebels in Bobon, Northern Samar, in this photo on April 30, 2023. At least 1,065 active members and loyal supporters of the New People’s Army in Eastern Visayas were killed, captured, arrested, or surrendered in 2023, attributing to the region’s attainment of guerrilla front-free status. (Philippine Army photo)
TACLOBAN CITY – At least 1,065 active members and loyal supporters of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Eastern Visayas were killed, captured, arrested, or surrendered in 2023, attributing to the region’s attainment of guerrilla front-free status.
These neutralized rebels include 14 ranking NPA leaders in the region who got killed or turned themselves to authorities last year, said Philippine Army 8th Infantry Division (8th ID) commander Major Gen. Camilo Ligayo in a press briefing Wednesday.
“The remaining NPA is currently experiencing a vacuum of leadership. Nobody wants to be identified as their leader for fear of being the subject of our focused military operations,” Ligayo said.
Of the total neutralized regular NPA members last year, 28 were killed in combat operations, 13 were captured, and 164 surrendered to authorities.
Other surrenderers included 228 members of the Militia ng Bayan (MB), 163 from the Batakang Organisasyon sa Partido (BOP), 270 members of an underground mass organization (UGMO), and 199 mass supporters.
BOP members serve in intelligence-gathering activities, while MB-enlisted individuals provide mass support to the revolutionary movement of the communist terrorist group.
The Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA established UGMOs inside open sectoral organizations and open alliances to advance and support their armed atrocities and terrorist activities.
“There are only 119 armed rebels left scattered in different parts of the region. Their number is just the same as one company size. We have 14 battalions in the region. We have the strength and equipment to hunt the remaining rebels,” Ligayo told reporters.
Each army battalion has up to four companies. Each company has 100 soldiers.
The dismantling of NPA guerrilla fronts is a result of 380 combat operations, 80 armed encounters, and three major armed engagements in Northern Samar province.
Lt. Col. Joemar Buban, 8th ID assistant chief of staff for civil-military operations, said the NPA continues to weaken with no new recruits and an increasing number of surrenderers every year.
“Right now, the recruitment is almost zero, and thousands have already surrendered. This is an indication that people are very aware of the NPA’s senseless armed struggle,” Buban added.
The military worked on dismantling front committees 1 and 15 in Northern Samar in the latter part of 2023.
Front committees 2 and 3, which used to operate on the boundaries of Samar, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar provinces, were dismantled early last year after the capture and surrender of some of their combatants and the recovery of several firearms.
The whole-of-nation approach, linking arms between basic service providers from the central government, community participation groups from the local governments, and the security sector from the military and the police, gets the credit for the weakening NPA in Eastern Visayas.
In support of the fight against the NPA, several local government units have formed their task force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC), operationalizing Executive Order 70 issued in 2018. (PNA)
