NPA still the biggest threat

DAVAO CITY – Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. declared the New People’s Army (NPA) remains the biggest threat to national security despite government efforts to eradicate the communist insurgency by 2010.

Teodoro admitted the communist insurgents are still giving the government the biggest headache when it comes to national security.

But the government is still winning the war against the NPA, even with its over 7,000 guerrillas scattered across the country.

Teodoro also said the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf comes in second in the national threat board.

He stressed that government is gaining the upper hand in the fight against the communist insurgents with favorable results in the military’s counterinsurgency operations.

“Under my watch, the thrust of the Department of National Defense is to make insurgency irrelevant by addressing its root causes, thereby paving the way for its extinction,” Teodoro told the troops in his visit to the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) here.

Teodoro claimed the government has already accomplished between 30 to 40 percent of its goal in eradicating insurgency.

He added the remaining 60 to 70 percent will be accomplished by the Armed Forces in bringing both its armed strength and socio-economic development projects to rebel-infested areas.

“Government is clearly on track and focused in what it wants to accomplish, which is to make insurgency irrelevant by 2010,” he said.

Teodoro also made an appeal to the rebels to avail of the government’s full amnesty program and take the opportunity to return to the mainstream.

“May I therefore reiterate our call for our brother Filipinos who are still blinded by false ideology, that for the sake of peace in our communities and for the development of our country, leave the armed struggle,” Teodoro said.