A MILITARY commander yesterday said the last New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla front operating in the Davao region, a former hotbed of the insurgents many years ago, has been dismantled.
With the dismantling of the Guerrilla Front 18, AFP Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) commander Lt. Gen. Greg Almerol said he is due to recommend the declaration of the region as insurgency-free.
Eastmincom spokesman Maj. Alex Mindalano said Almerol will make the recommendation to the Regional Peace and Order Council, which is composed of local government, military and police officials.
If the recommendation would be approved, Mindalanao said Davao region will be the first region in the country to be classified as insurgency-free.
Almerol said Guerrilla Front 18 was declared dismantled during an Area-Clearing and Validation Committee meeting last September 15.
The guerrilla front had been declared by the military as a weakened guerrilla front in November last year following the surrender of its front secretary, Jocy Papasin, and commanding officer, Gilbert Colita.
“With the total collapse of GF18 and other CTG (communist terrorist group) instrumentalities in Davao Region, we can now recommend its declaration as ‘insurgency-free’ in the coming days,” said Almerol.
Mindalano said Davao region was a former “hotbed” of the NPA.
He said the NPA began to weaken in 2015 following the killing of Leonardo Pitao, alias Commander Parago, the notorious leader of the NPA Pulang Bagani Command 1, during a military operation in Davao City.
“They were really strong during that time before we neutralized Parago…They were demoralized after that (Pitao’s killing). That was a big setback to them,” said Mindanao.
“Now, they are (down to) zero (members)…Guerrilla Front 18 was the last guerrilla front in the region,” Mindalano said.
Mindalano said the cooperation of local government units and the people were key factors in the success of the counter-insurgency operation in Davao region.
Five NPA guerrilla fronts are still active in Soccsksargen and Caraga regions, which are also part of the area of responsibility of Eastmincom.
