NPAs in Northern Philippines already on the verge of total collapse, Military believes

July 2, 2021 JUST IN

BAGUIO CITY (July 2, 2021) — Northern Luzon Command Chief, Lieutenant General Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. said communist rebels in Northern and Central Luzon are on the verge of total collapse at the heels of an intensified counter-insurgency drive rendering huge blows against the Maoist-inspired underground movement.
The influx of surrenders from the ranks of the communist rebels and withdrawal of support by party members of the communist terrorist affiliated mass organizations all over Northern and Central Luzon,  the military commander said, is the glarinf proof.
NOLCOM claimed that for second quarter of this year only,  205 communist rebels surrendered along with 109 firearms, 143 of which are regular NPA members while 62 are members of the Milisyang Bayan.
The most recent of which are the surrender of five regular members of the communist rebels and one Milisyang Bayan on June 30, 2021 at Barangay Balagan, San Mariano, Isabela.  They reportedly yielded five firearms, 100 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition and 12 improvised explosive devices.
Only on June 29, one regular NPA rebel surrendered to the 702nd Infantry Brigade at Barangay Suquib, Besao, Mountain Province, bringing along an M16 rifle and 20 rounds of 5.56mm live ammunition.
The former rebel also led the troops of 69th Infantry Battalion and Besao town to the discovery of an arms cache at Barangay Gueday, Besao, Mountain Province the following day that contained an M16 rifle, five improvised explosive devices, 100-meter electrical wire, three handheld radios, one mobile phone and one digital electronic tester.
Burgoz Jr. also claimed that aparr from these surrenders and recoveries, 558 party members from the different NPA affiliated mass organizations expressed their withdrawal support from the terrorist group.
These are in addition to the 12 communist rebels who were neutralized in an encounter and joint law enforcement operations for the period in all provinces in Northern and Central Luzon.
Burgos Jr. emphasized that they are at the “forefront in the campaign to end the local communist armed conflict in Northern and Central Luzon”, citing, “around 2 to 3 communist rebels surrendered to the government troops everyday with a firearm being  surrendered everyday. This is a clear indication that it is just a matter of time that these communist terrorist groups will be totally defeated.”
The military commander reaffirmed their commitment end the communist movement here saying, “As we have evaluated our gains, we will continue to build up our momentum in decimating the few remaining members of the communists terrorist group. We will not stop until the entire Northern and Central Luzon are declared free of insurgency.”
The recent rebel surrenders are currently being assisted by the government forces in processing their requirements to avail the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP).
Artemio A. Dumlao