The Philippine Army said yesterday the recruitment by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) could intensify now that movement restrictions due to the health pandemic have eased.
Philippine Army Visayas commander, Lt. General Benedict Arevalo said they are now assessing and analyzing the effects of the pandemic in terms of the conduct of recruitment.
“We feel that Covid-19 also was able to slow down their recruitment,” he said.
Arevalo said roughly the strength of the CPP-NPA on Panay Island is between 200 and 250.
Apart from the pandemic, Arevalo also credited the efforts of the Regional Task Force to End Local Armed Conflict for the drop of CPP-NPA recruitment.
With the slowdown in recruitment, Arevalo ordered his men to fast-track the neutralization of the armed component.
“Let us not wait for our enemies to die of old age, let us not wait for them to just fade away. We really have to exert pressure on our operations and be able to convince them to go back to the folds of the law if not be captured,” he said.
Visayas-wide there are nine guerrilla fronts: four are within the area of responsibility of the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), where the 301st Brigade belongs; and five are in the 8th Division in Samar and Leyte provinces, Arevalo added.
The four guerrilla fronts under the 3ID have been weakened and no longer capable of launching camp and detachment attacks. With a strength between 200 and 250, they are on target for liquidation and assassination, such as in some parts of Negros Island, he said.
Arevalo also attributed the weakening of the CPP-NPA to the military operations in Iloilo province’s Miagao town in 2021, when at least nine NPA members including a high official of the Southern Front operational command were killed.
Apart from anti-insurgency operations, Arevalo also reminded the government troops not to let their humanitarian assistance and disaster response, especially since Visayas is prone to disasters.
Arevalo was in Iloilo to preside over the change of command ceremony between outgoing 301st Infantry Brigade commander General Marion Sison and acting commander Colonel Michael Samson at Camp Adriano D. Hernandez in Dingle town.
Samson, in an interview, said he will try to assess and evaluate areas that should be improved as he expressed confidence that his predecessor has done a lot of accomplishments.
Sison will assume as assistant commander of the 3ID based in Capiz province’s Jamindan town. (PNA)