Ibrado admits difficulty in meeting deadline vs NPA

MANILA, Philippines - The war against the communist New People’s Army (NPA) is getting more difficult as next year’s deadline approaches.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Victor Ibrado admitted that the military is having difficulty meeting the deadline imposed by President Arroyo to end the decades-old communist insurgency by 2010.

Ibrado said they are now thinking of revising their strategy by initially dismantling the foothold of the NPA through their guerrilla fronts.

“It would not be very easy,” Ibrado said. “We are thinking of changing our parameters for dismantling guerrilla fronts because of the continuing existence of armed groups in guerrilla fronts even if the political and military structures are dismantled. They are just crossing borders and transferring to another guerrilla front.”

But this does not mean that the NPA’s strength would thrive, Ibrado clarified.

He said the military’s intensified operations have left the NPA limping with reduced strength.

Ibrado said the NPA has resorted to projecting its power and influence in the rural areas.

“They are just doing this to give the impression that they are everywhere,” he said.

Ibrado expressed confidence though that despite the odds, the military would be able to accomplish the mission set by President Arroyo.

Military figures show that the NPA still had 62 guerrilla fronts at the end of 2008 from a high of more than a hundred in 1977.

Last year, military figures showed the number of NPA rebels was cut down by nine percent from 5,768 to 5,239.

The military said they also reduced the rebels’ firearms by five percent.

Officials added that NPA-influenced barangays in the country have been reduced by 28 percent from 1,919 at the start of the year to 1,381.

Out of 300 identified NPA personalities, 173 have standing warrants of arrest for various charges.

Northern Luzon Command chief Maj. Gen. Ricardo David, for his part, said they would still adhere to the rules of engagement against the NPA rebels even with the difficulty of identifying them from the civilian populace.

“We have a deadline to meet, and we should adhere strictly to the rules of engagement. We should be meticulous because identifying the enemy is in itself a challenge,” he said.