ARMED Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr said the membership of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) is down to less than 900, the lowest since its founding 56 years ago.
“The New People’s Army is not that successful in deceiving our countrymen. That’s why, only a few people are joining them… As of now, our count is less than 900 New People’s Army rebels, from 25,000 in the late 80s,” Brawner said in an interview with radio dzRH on Tuesday.
Brawner said most of the remaining rebels are operating in the eastern side of the country, specifically in the Caraga and Bicol regions and the Samar provinces.
The military has intensified its operations against the group in the past years so it can fully shift to territorial or external defense operations, from internal security operations.
Brawner said the military continues to partner with government agencies, including the National Irrigation Authority, in the fight against the NPA.
“We identified areas where the New People’s Army is engaged in recruitment and we implemented programs there to address poverty in these areas,” he said.
Brawner said irrigation systems were put up at farmlands in rural areas “so that they (farmers) can plant the whole year round.”
Brig. Gen. Medel Aguilar, deputy commander of the AFP Civil Relations Service, said the NPA membership of 900 is not only an all-time low for the rebel group “but a figure that can no longer implement a party program.”
“They are on the brink of collapse. The remaining (NPA personalities) are hiding, running and most of them are just waiting for the opportunity to go down, to return to the folds of the law, surrender,” he said.
The military earlier reported that 942 rebels have been “neutralized” throughout the country from January 1 to July 3 this year.
Of the number, 809 surrendered, 71 were apprehended, and 62 were killed in combat operations.
A total of 486 firearms and 278 anti-personnel mines were either seized or surrendered and 92 camps were captured during the same period.
