CEBU, Philippines — The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA), is losing 'foothold' in Central Visayas as the community participation towards the military has strengthened.
This is according to the statement released by the Visayas Command (VISCOM) on Wednesday, January 19, 2022.
In the same statement, VISCOM revealed that the participation of the community by providing information was a factor in this development.
"The increasing number of information provided by the community which translated into successful internal security operations and law enforcement operations of the government troops," the statement read.
Last January 15, 2022, suspected members of the CPP-NPA were caught in an armed encounter with the members of the military in Sitio Manlibod, Barangay Sandayao, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.
Authorities said that the said operation stemmed from the information provided by a concerned citizen.
During the operation, a suspected member of the CPP-NPA was killed while four others were arrested, including two who were wounded.
The Visayas Command further revealed that since January 1 of last year until present date, there are a total of 52 'communist terrorists' encounters with the authorities. Among the 52, at least were joint law enforcement operations with the PNP.
During these operations, a total of 130 firearms were confiscated by the authorities.
"These are apart from the 97 communist terrorists who already returned to the folds of the law, and yielded a total of 34 firearms and the 977 supporters/sympathizers who withdrew their support from the said terrorist group," said the VISCOM.
Lieutenant General Robert Dauz, commander of Visayas Command, said that this development has are the indications that the CPP-NPA are losing their ground in Visayas.
“The sustained internal security operations and law enforcement operations of your government troops coupled with the overwhelming support from the local government units and the general public have proven to be too much for the communist terrorists,” he said.
“Their leaders continue to fall in the long arms of justice while their disgruntled members surrender in droves to the government," he added. — KQD (FREEMAN)