25 provinces free of communist rebels

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines has declared the province of Ilocos Norte insurgency-free, bringing to 25 the total number of provinces that the military claimed were completely freed from the influence of the communist New People’s Army (NPA).

The spokesman for the 7th Infantry Division, Maj. Enrico Gill Ileto, on Tuesday said that the Ilocos Norte provincial board has come out with a resolution declaring the province free of insurgents.

Ilocos Norte now joins the 24 provinces earlier liberated from the influence of the people’s army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

This means that maintaining internal security in the province is now the responsibility of the police and the local government.

Earlier declared as NPA-free were the provinces of Aklan, Apayao, Ifugao, Kalinga, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Biliran, Cebu, Bohol, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, South Cotabato, La Union, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Cavite, Marinduque, Romblon, Guimaras, Siquijor, Northern Leyte and Southern Leyte.

According to the military, the rebels’strength in 2011 was down to 4,043 or 7.8 percent lower than the previous year’s 4,384 from a peak of 24,430.

But the communist party also earlier disputed this claim, saying that its armed wing and revolutionary forces were steadily growing in strength.

Amid the military’s claim, the communist rebels made their presence felt in other provinces such as Bukidnon and Samar provinces.

In Bukidnon, 11 civilians were injured when a grenade fell from the pocket of a communist rebel.

Col. Leopoldo Galon, the spokesman for the Western Mindanao Command, said that there were unverified reports that NPA rebels were conducting a demonstration on how to make an improvised explosive device when the incident happened.

In Samar, a fierce encounter in Guinbanga village of Calbiga town between troops of the 8th Infantry Battallion and a group of rebels took place on January 23, resulting in the capture of three communist rebels. –WILLIAM B. DEPASUPIL REPORTER, Manila Times