NPA strength at 4,000, unchanged since 2010

MANILA, Philippines - The military has failed to significantly reduce the strength of the New People’s Army (NPA) despite its previous claims that the communist movement is already weakening.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. said the number of NPA members stood at around 4,000 as of the end of third quarter, virtually unchanged in the last four years.

“It’s around 4,000 plus,” the military chief said when asked for the strength of the communist rebels as of the end of third quarter.

Catapang attributed the figure to “a new system” of accounting for rebels.

“We put in a new system. And then you don’t take in consideration the previous system, it [figure] will really fluctuate,” he said.

Officials could not elaborate on the difference between the old and the new system of gathering data about the insurgents.

They, however, vowed to release the final figures on the number of NPA members by yearend.

“We have to collate the data before we release the final figures,” Armed Forces public affairs chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc said.

“The situation on the ground is very fluid. It can change and the strength of the NPA is dependent on several factors. We have criteria to assess it but I can’t describe it until it reaches my office,” he added.

As early as 2010, military officials have been claiming that the communist insurgency has declined to about 4,000 from a peak of 25,000 in 1987.

They attributed the decline to the military’s combat operations, the internal strife among rebels, and development programs that discouraged local residents from joining the NPA.

When asked if he thinks the military had failed to curb insurgency, Catapang said: “It’s too early to tell.”

Cabunoc said the military is doing everything to address the threats posed by the rebels.

“The armed forces is working to curb the criminality and banditry of the NPA. We did not fail because we are performing our duty. We have seen the surrender and arrest of rebels,” he said.