ShareThisCAMP AGUINALDO – In the wake of the continuing reduction of the strength of the communist insurgents and terror groups in the country, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is launching its new Internal Peace and Security Plan dubbed as “Bayanihan” beginning Jan, 1, 2011.
This as the estimated strength of the New People’s Army (NPA) was reduced further to historic low figures from an estimated 4,700 as of end-2009 to about 4,000 by the end of 2010, said AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos.
During the past year, at least 591 NPA members either were arrested or surrendered voluntarily to authorities and availed of the government’s integration and livelihood programs. Communist-affected barangays also decreased from 1,077 to 1,017 at the end of the year, as a result of successful security operations, community-based civil military operations and the implementation of active information drive in rural barangays and urban town centers, said Burgos.
He said three communist guerrilla fronts have been dismantled — from 51 last year to 48 as of yearend 2010 — as a result of intensive military operations, further reducing the strength, resources, and influence of the insurgency movement.
The significant personalities arrested during 2010 included five regional committee leaders and three front secretaries in the areas of Northern Luzon, Davao region, Panay, and Negros island.
Dealing with terror threats, AFP operations in Basilan and Sulu have reduced the Abu Sayyaf group (ASG) ranks from 391 terrorists and 340 firearms last year to 340 elements and 296 firearms this year.
The successful counter-terrorism operations resulted to the neutralization of 51 terrorists, including key leaders Albader Parad and Abdulgafur Jumdail who were killed in two separate armed clashes by government forces in Sulu. More importantly, counterterrorism efforts have resulted to a significant reduction in the frequency of terrorist attacks from 54 last year to 29 this year.
The separatist group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), despite having no significant change in its strength, has been successfully contained by the military while upholding the primacy of the peace process and adhering to the standing ceasefire agreement with them.