ARMED Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. yesterday said the military is aiming to “neutralize” the New People’s Army by the end of the year or less than three months.
Brawner told a forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines that 2,658 rebels and supporters have been “neutralized” from January to August this year.
Brawner said 124 insurgents were killed and 87 were apprehended during military operations He said 2,447 rebels and supporters also surrendered.
“As far as the communist terrorist group is concerned, we are again happy to report that we have neutralized most of the guerrilla fronts operating in the country,” said Brawner.
Brawner said most of the operational NPA guerrilla fronts “have weakened a lot.”
Earlier military estimates placed the NPA strength at around 2,000 men throughout the country, from a peak strength of around 25,000 in the 1980s.
Brawner called the remaining NPA rebels as bandits, noting they are engaged purely in extortion, preying on businesses, industries and even ordinary civilians.
“We are looking at the end of the year as our target to be able to neutralize the armed element, the armed group,” said Brawner, referring to the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
He said neutralizing the NPA does not mean “total annihilation” of the group.
