News Story: (Phil) Army captures NPA camp near Batangas City

New People’s Army (NPA)

By Jaime Laude

MANILA, Philippines — Government troops captured a suspected training camp of communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels near Batangas city following last Sunday’s fighting that left one insurgent dead and scores wounded.

Maj. Gen. Rhoderick Parayno, commander of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Brigade, said troops are pursuing the NPA rebels that occupied the camp.

Parayno said the security situation in Barangay Talumpok and the villages nearby where the camp is located has normalized since Tuesday.

At the height of the fighting that resulted in the evacuation of residents and the disruption of classes, the military deployed a helicopter to provide close air support to the troops.

Parayno said all the rockets fired by the helicopter hit their targets, contrary to claims that some of them hit residential houses.

“There’s no truth to that. It’s all propaganda by the left,” he said.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: Troops clash with NPAs in Batangas

New People’s Army (NPA)

By Ed Amoroso

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines — Hundreds of residents left their houses on Sunday to avoid being caught in the crossfire after government troops clashed with communist guerrillas in Barangay Talumpok Silangan in Batangas City.

The encounter lasted for about 40 minutes, resulting in the killing of one suspected member of the New People’s Army (NPA) while several rebels were wounded, police officials said.

Senior Supt. Randy Peralta, Batangas police director, said government forces reportedly overran yesterday morning a rebel camp on Mt. Banoy in Batangas City.

The evacuees included 365 residents of Sitio Tibig in Barangay Talahib Pandayan near Mt. Banoy and more than 500 residents from Barangay Masagitsit and Banalo of Lobo town. Around 70 others fled to villages in Batangas City.

“The evacuees still remained at the evacuation centers despite the firefight having ended yesterday morning after government troops invaded the encampment of the rebels while clearing operations are ongoing,” Peralta told The STAR.

Classes in 12 public schools in Batangas City were suspended yesterday due to clashes between troopers and NPA rebels.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: Left rejects anew government demand to lay down arms

New People’s Army (NPA)

By Artemio Dumlao

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has again rejected President Duterte’s demand for the New People’s Army (NPA) to surrender for the peace negotiations to continue.

The CPP said Duterte’s demand reveals his “fascist narrow-mindedness.”

“By doing so, (Duterte) treats Red fighters with extreme contempt, choosing to ignore the social realities of oppression and exploitation and the aspiration for national and social liberation which continue to drive thousands, especially peasant masses, to join and support the NPA,” the CPP said.

The CPP, which claims to still have absolute control of the NPA around the country instead warned they will continue to carry out tactical offensives in order to hold the Duterte administration accountable “for all its crimes and rights abuses.”

On Wednesday, the CPP threw out Duterte’s declaration of openness in the resuming peace negotiations after NPA rebels freed a captive policemen, saying it was “pure talk.”

They said the peace negotiations can resume if Duterte drops his earlier precondition of a bilateral ceasefire.

The CPP insisted addressing the roots of the armed conflict in accordance with previously agreed principles and procedures under The Hague Declaration.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: Philippine troops kill 9 leftist rebels in firefight

New People's Army (NPA)

MANILA, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Nine local communist rebels were killed on Wednesday in an exchange of gunfire with government forces in northern Philippines, an army spokesman said.

Lt. Col. Isagani Nato, spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Northern Luzon Command, said a clash broke out between army troops and some 15 New People's Army (NPA) at around 7:25 a.m. local time in a village in Carranglan town in Nueva Ecija province.

NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, which was founded in 1968 and has been fighting a guerrilla war against the government ever since.

Nato said an army soldier was also wounded in the right leg during the firefight that lasted more than two hours.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: Duterte says he's still open to peace talks with Reds

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed readiness to resume peace negotiations with the communist rebels following the release of a policeman who was kidnapped by the guerillas three months ago.

Duterte said there is a need to have serious talks with the rebels, who have been waging an armed struggle against the government for 50 years.

“If you (communists) want to resume the talks, I am not averse to the idea, but let me sort out first the other branches of government,” the president said during his meeting with SPO2 George Rupinta, the policeman freed by the rebels, in Davao City last Saturday.

Rupinta was seized by the New People’s Army, the armed wing in the communist rebels, in Davao Oriental last June to probe his supposed involvement in “anti-people activities.” He was released in Compostela Valley last Friday.

Duterte said he could not immediately grant some demands of the rebels because they require the approval of other branches of government.

“I share power with Congress and the Supreme Court. So do not ask for something in a hurry and for those which are not really acceptable to the other branches of government. Mahirap ‘yan (It will be difficult),” Duterte said.

Read the full story at PhilStar

Related Story:

• Duterte open to resuming talks with Reds

News Story: Rody’s surrender demand unacceptable — Reds

New People’s Army (NPA)

By Artemio Dumlao

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has rejected President Duterte’s demand for the New People’s Army (NPA) to surrender first before peace talks can resume. 

“This is unacceptable,” the CPP said. “Does he really take the revolutionary forces for fools?”

The CPP said that the President, who earlier claimed having long-time friendship with the Left, “has lost all moral grounds to make such a demand,” citing the NPA’s declaration of a ceasefire on Aug. 19, 2016 that lasted close to 160 days supposedly as a response to Duterte’s signed commitment to release around 500 political prisoners through an amnesty proclamation.

Duterte, however, “wasted the goodwill of the NDFP when it failed to fulfill its commitment and took advantage of the ceasefire to deploy his soldiers and conduct military offensives,” the CPP said, referring to the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: Duterte threatens martial law if Reds take to streets

New People’s Army (NPA)

By Alexis Romero

MANILA, Philippines —  He once called the policy “stupid,” but President Duterte has floated anew the possibility of declaring martial law in the entire country, saying he may be forced to do so if communist rebels bring their armed struggle to the streets.

Duterte said while he allows leftists to hold meetings and rallies, he would not think twice about arresting those who would cause infighting.

“They are not hiding. Their meetings are in public. I just let them be. Even their leftist organizations are holding meetings. I said let them be. But do not commit the mistake,” the President told reporters in Cagayan de Oro last Saturday.

“I am not scaring you. Do not commit the mistake of staging a rebellion, say that there is fighting in the streets. I will not hesitate to impose martial law all throughout the country and order the arrest of everybody,” he added.

Duterte placed the entire island of Mindanao under martial law on May 23 after Islamic State-inspired terrorists from the Maute group laid siege to Marawi City.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: Duterte to Reds - No ceasefire, no talks

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte yesterday ruled out a resumption of the stalled peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

As long as the communist rebels do not stop guerrilla attacks, the peace negotiations will remain suspended, he said.

Duterte in May ordered the scrapping of formal peace talks with the communists after the military said fighters from the NPA stepped up offensives in the countryside.

“There will be no talks until you declare a ceasefire, period,” he said.

Duterte gave two Cabinet positions to left-wing activists recommended by the CPP when he assumed power last year to show his commitment to ending nearly five decades of conflict with the communists.

However, both appointees were rejected by the Commission on Appointments (CA), which on Wednesday rejected the appointment of agrarian reform secretary Rafael Mariano. His exit came less than a month after the CA ousted Judy Taguiwalo, another leftist, as social welfare secretary.

With the peace talks in virtual limbo, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is just awaiting orders to re-arrest and haul back to jail the freed communist consultants to the peace process.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: UN - Use of child soldiers persistent problem in Philippines

Child Soldier in Asia (File Photo)

By Jose Katigbak, STAR Washington bureau

WASHINGTON – The use of child soldiers by armed groups is a persistent problem in the Philippines, officials here said following revelations by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana that these groups used child warriors to behead hostages.

The UN reports armed groups operating in the Philippines, including the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, New People’s Army, Moro National Liberation Front, the Abu Sayyaf and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, continue to recruit and use children, at times through force, for combat and noncombat roles.

The US State Department in its recent Trafficking in Persons Report 2017 said protracted armed conflict and reports of recruitment and use of child soldiers by armed groups in Mindanao were continuing.

It described child soldiering as a grave human rights violation.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: NPA on Rody’s war - We killed 12 cops, soldiers

New People’s Army (NPA)

By Gilbert Bayoran

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Central Negros claimed that the recent operations against government forces are the answer to the “all-out war” policy of President Duterte.

JB Regalado, in a statement posted on the NPA’s Leonardo Panaligan Command website, said that 12 policemen and military personnel were killed in month-long military operations in Negros Oriental.

Regalado cited the ambush conducted by guerrillas in Guihulngan City where six policemen and a civilian were killed while 17 firearms, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition and four cellular phones were seized by the rebels.

He justified the ambush of policemen, stressing that they are legitimate targets of the NPA.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: 3 arrested as police clash with NPAs

New People’s Army (NPA)

By Emmanuel Tupas

MANILA, Philippines - Policemen clashed with suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Taytay, Palawan last Friday, but no casualties were reported.

Supt. Imelda Tolentinno, spokesperson of the Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) police, said the encounter happened at around 10:20 a.m. in Barangay Alacalian.

Elements from the police Regional Public Safety Battalion were conducting patrol operations when they spotted a group of around 20 armed men inside a nipa hut.

A woman was said to be conducting a lecture before the armed men, who opened fire at the policemen, triggering a shootout.

Members of the 212 Marines Company arrived and reinforced the policemen.

There were no reported casualties on the government’s side while authorities are verifying reports on rebel casualties.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: NPAs kill 2 cops in Catanduanes

New People’s Army (NPA)

By Celso Amo

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Two policemen were killed and five others, including the Viga town police chief and three drug surrenderees, were wounded Thursday when New People’s Army (NPA) rebels ambushed their vehicles on the way to a drug rehabilitation seminar in Virac, Catanduanes.

Chief Supt. Antonio Gardiola Jr., Bicol police regional director, condemned the attack he described as an “act of terrorism” and ordered a pursuit operation.

Col. Alduan Masagca, 901st Brigade commander, also ordered the 83rd Infantry Battalion to help the pursuing policemen and fight the fleeing NPA members.

The rebels first attacked the escorting policemen by detonating an improvised explosive device near a hilly portion along the highway in Barangay Sagrada, Virac town.

Although they were able to escape the attack, SPO1 Marwin de Vera was hit in the stomach while surrenderees Alvin de la Cruz, Michael Joseph Tuhon and Andy Freddie Tawat were hit by shrapnel. De Vera was brought to the Immaculate Heart of Mary hospital for treatment and the surrenderees to Eastern Bicol Medical Center.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: AFP clarifies - LGU to provide P100K reward for every NPA, terrorist killed

New Peoples Army (NPA)

By Audrey Morallo

MANILA, Philippines — The military on Friday clarified that the P100,000 reported reward for every communist or Islamist militant killed or captured would come from a local government unit and not the Armed Forces.

The AFP said that the money could not come from the military as there was no existing policy governing such rewards.

“There was no such announcement made by the AFP on the reported 100 Thousand Pesos Reward Money for every member of terrorist NPA,” Col. Edgard Arevalo, the AFP’s public affairs chief, said in a statement, referring to the communist group listed by the US as a terror organization.

On Wednesday, Gen. Eduardo Año, the military chief, announced that the local government of Negros Occidental would put up a P100,000 reward to contribute to efforts to defeat the New People’s Army and Islamist groups.

Año cited the pronouncement of Maj. Gen. Jon Aying, commander of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division based in Panay, in making the announcement.

Aying said the P100,000 bounty was initially declared by President Rodrigo Duterte during his visit on Negros Island to condole with the families of six cops killed by NPA fighters in an ambush in Guihulngan City last month, according to the military chief.

“That was a pronouncement by General Aying. The reward will come from the local government of Negros Occidental,” Año said, describing it as a local initiative that will contribute to the efforts “to destroy the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA.”

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: Palace - 'No basis' for NDFP claim of plot vs Duterte

By Alexis Romero

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Thursday dismissed the National Democratic Front of the Philippines’ claim that the US Central Intelligence Agency plans to oust President Rodrigo Duterte as a "pathetic" rumor.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said rumors about alleged plans to remove Duterte from office have been swirling since he assumed the presidency.

“Rumors of attempts to overthrow the president has been around from Day One, okay. However, this latest twist... where they include themselves (NDF)... is an insertion of themselves into the plot,” Abella said in a press briefing.

“It’s rather pathetic,” he added.

Abella said the supposed plot to overthrow Duterte has no basis.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: 2 soldiers killed, 7 wounded in clash with NPA

New People’s Army (NPA)

By Francis Elevado and Celso Amo

MANILA, Philippines - Two soldiers were killed and seven others were wounded in a 30-minute firefight between communist guerrillas and government troops in Gubat, Sorsogon early yesterday morning, according to a ranking military official.

Lt. Col. Randy Espino, 31st Infantry Battalion commander, said elements from his battalion, particularly one section of the Alpha Company of the Philippine Army led by 2Lt. Lee Tremedal, were conducting combat patrol when they encountered an undetermined number of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels at around 5:30 a.m. in the town’s Barangay Casili.

“The rebels used an improvised explosive killing two of our troops while seven were also wounded,” Espino confirmed, adding that the firefight lasted for about 30 minutes after which the enemy withdrew in different directions.

“We were conducting a combat operation against NPA rebels who were planning to launch a tactical offensive against government troops and soft targets in Sorsogon,” he explained.

Espino said the identities of the slain soldiers were withheld pending notification of their families.

“The loss of our two heroes is an inspiration for the troops to continue their mandate of serving the people and securing the province of Sorsogon against communist terrorists,” he added.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: Army tightens security in Cebu, Bohol amid NPA threats

New People’s Army (NPA)

By Gilbert Bayoran

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – The Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (ID) has tightened security in Cebu and Bohol to prevent communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels from infiltrating the islands.

Maj. Gen. Jon Aying, 3rd ID commander, disclosed that the NPA and its allied groups plan to reestablish their presence in Cebu and Bohol that have been insurgency-free for more than a decade now.

Aying said that government forces are monitoring the guerrillas based in Panay and Negros that could infiltrate Cebu and Bohol.

He said the military received reports that the rebels are moving from one island to another in the Visayas.

The 3rd ID has jurisdiction over 10 provinces in Western and Central Visayas, as well as Negros Island Region.

“They (NPA) are struggling, but they are doing it. That is what we are trying to do also because we want Cebu and Bohol to be vigilant, to prevent the resurgence of the communist movement there,” Aying said.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: FA-50 jets back in harness in Marawi

Philippine Air Force (PAF) FA-50 fighter aircraft

By Michael Punongbayan

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Air Force’s FA-50 fighter jets, which had been grounded following a “friendly fire” incident that killed two soldiers on the ground in Marawi, are now back in action conducting new air strikes against members of the Maute terror group in the war-torn city.

Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs Office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said the planes are back in harness again by the military.

Last month, the military stopped FA-50 flights after two soldiers were killed in an air strike accident that also wounded some government troops.

As part of standard operating procedure, the fighter jets were grounded to give way to the investigation to determine the cause of the friendly fire incident.

“Based on initial investigation, no fault was found on the part of the aircraft and pilots,” Arevalo said.

He noted that there would be adjustments in some of the techniques, tactics and procedures concerning air strikes to prevent similar accidents.

Arevalo, however, stressed that he cannot reveal what changes or adjustments will be made but gave assurance that the FA-50s are safe.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: Rody ready to sign document ending talks with Reds

Philippines President Duterte

By Alexis Romero

MANILA, Philippines -  President Duterte is set to sign a document formally scrapping peace talks with the communists, saying negotiations with the rebels were just a “waste of time.” 

Asked yesterday if the government has formally communicated plans to terminate the talks, Duterte said: “Give me a piece of paper. I will write it for you. Give it to them.”

“What do you intend to accomplish? It only ends up at name-calling and shouting. Don’t waste my time, I have so many things to do,” he said.

Duterte announced plans to terminate the negotiations with the leftists after the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) ordered its fighters to launch attacks against security forces enforcing martial law in Mindanao.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: PNP bares alliance between Reds, Balik Islam

MANILA, Philippines - The former members of the notorious hit squad Alex Boncayao Brigade (ABB) have tied up with the so-called Balik Islam groups, prompting security forces to raise alarm in Metro Manila, a top police official revealed yesterday.

National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde said intelligence reports revealed the new alignments between the ABB and the Balik Islam, a group of supposed converts to the Islamic faith.

“(They are) continuously being monitored by our intelligence operatives, both from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP),” Albayalde said in a briefing at Malacañang.

Albayalde identified the Maharlika Village in Taguig and Baseco Compound in Manila as the possible lairs of the groups.

“That is a possibility, although there is nothing we have monitored so far. But then again, we have to conduct these target-hardening measures to prevent any untoward incident for this ASEAN meeting,” he said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ ministerial meetings in Manila.

“Yes, we have monitored a few of them who converted into Balik Islam,” he said.

Albayalde made the revelation in the process of outlining the security measures being prepared by the PNP for the Aug. 2 to 8 ASEAN ministerial meetings in Manila.

Albayalde, however, downplayed the possibility that the groups are going to attack the ASEAN ministerial meetings. He also doubted the groups are capable of assassinating President Duterte.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: Reds launch attacks in Negros

New People’s Army (NPA)

By Gilbert Bayoran

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Suspected New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas launched fresh attacks on Sunday, burning construction equipment in Siaton, Negros Oriental.

The rebels, on three motorcycles, torched equipment owned by the Medalla Construction parked near the Siaton River in Barangay Katikugan, according to Maj. Gen. Jon Aying, chief of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division.

Aying said the rebels, armed with rifles, shouted “Mabuhay ang NPA (Long live the NPA)” and fired shots in the air as they were fleeing the area.

Troopers of the Regional Public Safety Battalion assisted the Army in pursuing the guerrillas.

Authorities recovered bullet shells for different firearms and a container with gasoline.

Read the full story at PhilStar