NSC: AFP to crush 11 remaining NPA fronts by end 2024

The National Security Council (NSC) on Friday said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was working overtime to dismantle the 11 remaining weakened guerilla fronts of the New People’s Army (NPA) by the end of the year.

"So kahit na nagta-transition yong ating Armed Forces from internal to external, marami pa ring role ang Armed Forces dito,” National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo Año said in a statement.

(Even though the Armed Forces was transitioning its focus from internal to external defense, the Armed Forces still has much to do here.)

“Particularly, ang ating goal is to dismantle the 11 weakened guerilla fronts up to the end of the year and this will also include dismantling 26 vertical units and party organs within the 27 sub-regional committees and 40 regional party committees," he added.

(Particularly, our goal is to dismantle the 11 weakened guerilla fronts up to the end of the year and this will also include dismantling 26 vertical units and party organs within the 27 sub-regional committees and 40 regional party committees.)

In line with this, military operations were ongoing in Abra, Northern Samar, the Bicol Region, and other areas, according to NSC spokesperson Jonathan Malaya.

"These operations are initiated by the military to totally wipe them out and we will see more of these in the coming months, rain or shine," Malaya said.

Meanwhile, AFP chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said the military had set deadlines for its ground units, and there were armed encounters almost daily.

"Halos everyday ay nagkakaroon po tayo ng mga armed encounters - not just between the AFP and the members of the NPA but also with the local terrorist groups. So, we launched expansive and intensive military operations against all of these threat groups," he added.

(Almost everyday we have armed encounters - not just between the AFP and the members of the NPA but also with local terrorist groups. So, we launched expansive and intensive military operations against all of these threat groups.)

"And once the AFP successfully ends the communist insurgency, it can consolidate all its forces to solely external defense," he added. — DVM, GMA Integrated News