DILG chief hails police, military for neutralizing 5 alleged NPA leaders in Calabarzon

December 20, 2020

Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have not been complacent despite the challenges posed by coronavirus pandemic as they continue to conduct operations against the New People’s Army (NPA).

In a statement last Saturday, Año lauded the police and military after five alleged key NPA leaders who were responsible for harassing, extorting, and terrorizing local government officials, businessmen, and ordinary citizens in the Calabarzon region were neutralized in their recent operations.

“We have been persistent in this goal to rid our country of these CTGs (communist terror group) and the neutralization of the extortion team of the NPA is a huge morale booster for the government and the men and women who are working towards a truly peaceful Philippines,” Año said.

The secretary said among those neutralized were a Rebolusyonaryong Buwis sa Kaaway na Uri (RBKU) staff and an NPA regional intelligence officer who were actively generating funds through extortion and threats on unsuspecting victims.

Año said RBKU Unit is one “moneymakers” of the CPP-NPA-NDF, generating millions of funds through extortion and harassment to support the armed struggle in the mountains and to fund the propaganda, organizing, and recruitment activities of their front organizations in the urban areas.

The operation in Sitio Malalim, San Juan, Baras, Rizal resulted to the death of five NPA members.

Año also said the AFP made progress after an encounter resulting to the death of four NPA members under its Komiteng Larangang Gerilya Mark Anthony Velasco or KLG MAV operating in Mindoro.

“These arrests and victories are very important for the government’s advocacy to end Communist Terrorism in the country,” he said.

“The world of these terrorist are becoming small. While it’s not yet late, you should surrender and leave that twisted belief and wrong ideology,” he added.Both the PNP and AFP are intensifying their operations against the communist rebels after the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) decided not to have a holiday truce. Ella Dionisio/DMS