AFP says 266 Red terrorists lay down arms in Q1

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced the surrender of some 266 terrorists from the communist New People’s Army (NPA) in the first quarter of the year, the majority in Mindanao, considered as the “last bastion” of communist power in the country.

According to the statement from the AFP public affairs office, the figure translates to an average of 89 Red terrorists surrendering each month.

The bulk of the ‘surrenderees,’ came from the area command of the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom), the statement said, as it attributed the success to the increasing participation of local communities, local government units and the entire executive branch thru the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

The task force’s record disclosed that thus far, more than 24,000 former members, cadres and “sympathizers” (support groups) belonging to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), its armed wing, the NPA and the National Democratic Front (NDF), the CPP’s body supervising its front organizations, have decided to return to the fold of the law since the start of the Duterte administration in 2016.

Broken down, surrenders also took place in Western Mindanao with 58; Southern Luzon, 37; Visayas, 36; Northern Luzon, 20; and, one in Palawan (Region 4B).

On the other hand, 37 terrorists, including some leading cadres, were killed during focus military operations (FMO) in the same period while 29 others were apprehended or captured.

“The AFP attributes the significant gains against the CNT (CPP_NPA Terrorist) to the increasing support of communities and local government units through the National Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC),” said AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Andres Centino.

“As the nation’s primary protector against terrorists and other state adversaries, the AFP’s security operations, programs, and activities are rooted in our collective desire for peace and security,” he added.

AFP records also show that security forces managed to seize 492 assorted firearms and 148 anti-personnel mines while 66 communist encampments were overrun and destroyed, the majority of which are located in Eastern Mindanao and Visayas.

Communists in Robredo’s camp

Meanwhile, another affirmation that the camp of Vice President Leni Robredo has been infiltrated by the CPP came after former national security adviser and defense secretary, Norberto Gonzales, said this is so.

“Hindi ko masasabi na walang communist element sa grupo ni Vice President. I can say, yeah, there are, there are,” said Gonzales, during a joint press conference he had with fellow presidential aspirants, Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso last Sunday, April 17, 2022, in Makati City.

Gonzales also warned that should Robredo agreed for violence to occur during the elections this coming May 9, 2022, she can rely on the “expertise” of the CPP.

Gonzales made the statement in reply to reports that the camp of Robredo is planning to instigate violence should she lose the election.

“Pero depende sa strategy na pinag-uusapan. Pero kung ang Vice President ay dyan nagbibigay at magsabi ng certain options, ang eksperto dyan ay ‘yung mga komunista.

“Hindi ko alam kung how deep ‘yung understanding pero ang komunista, iyan ang laging hinahanap niya ay ganyang klase ng operation kasi mas sanay sila dyan eh.

Tingnan natin, may mga ilang weeks pa naman (before the elections),” Gonzales said.

It can be recalled that the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), quoting a report from one of its assets inside the CPP, revealed that a meeting was held by the CPP in Bacolod City last February 27, 2022, where they planned to create another ‘People Power’ scenario should leading presidential candidate, former senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong/BBM’ Marcos Jr., wins the election and forcibly install Robredo as president (see also Pinoy Exposé article, April 1, 2022).

Several former cadres of the CPP who have surrendered to the government also confirmed that Robredo is the CPP’s presidential bet after she struck a deal with the terrorist group.

Since the intelligence report on the “alliance” that Robredo made with the CPP came out, NTF-ELCAC spokesperson, Lorraine Marie T. Badoy, had been challenging Robredo to denounce the CPP-NPA to prove the report as false but Robredo thus far declined to do so up to now.