National Security Adviser Eduardo Año (PNA file photo)
MANILA – National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Año on Friday said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is working overtime to ensure that the remaining 11 weakened New People's Army (NPA) guerilla fronts are dismantled within the end of the year.
This includes NPA remnants in other areas, including vertical units and party organs within the organization's sub-regional committees and regional party committees, Año said in a statement.
Año, who is also chair of the National Security Council (NSC), said these operations comply with President R. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive for the military to intensify its efforts against insurgents, to ensure a safer and more prosperous future for all Filipinos.
He said the anti-communist roadmap of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) will be carried out until the end of the Marcos administration, despite the AFP's transition from internal to external or territorial defense in the face of tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
"Particularly, ang ating goal (our goal) is to dismantle the 11 weakened guerilla fronts up to the end of the year and this will also include dismantling 26 vertical units and party organs within the 27 sub-regional committees and 40 regional party committees," Año said.
Meanwhile, NSC Assistant Director General and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said the AFP has now taken the initiative and is bringing the battle to the last remaining weakened guerilla fronts and remnants of the NPA across the country.
"Everyday, you will hear in the news of AFP-initiated operations against NPA units. They are on the run and strategically defeated and our objective is to take the battle to their hide-outs so that we can finally finish them off as directed by the President," he added.
Malaya said military operations are ongoing in Abra, Northern Samar, the Bicol region and other areas, with more operations in the planning stages.
He said the targets set by the AFP to their field units have resulted in an increased number of armed encounters between the security forces and the insurgents, as well as with terrorist organizations across the country. (PNA)
