Brawner: Only 7 guerrilla fronts remaining

The number of guerrilla fronts in the country has decreased to seven, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said on Tuesday.

In an interview on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon’s pres-SONA special, Brawner said there were 11 guerrilla fronts during the start of the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in 2022.

“Out of the 11 guerrilla fronts na kinukompronta pa natin since the start of the presidency of President Marcos, ngayon ay pito na lang po ang natitira,” he said.

(Out of the 11 guerrilla fronts that we are still confronting since the start of the presidency of President Marcos, now there are only seven left.)

“So, apat na po iyong na-dismantle natin na guerilla fronts and tuluy-tuloy pa rin ho iyong ating ginagawang operations,” he added.

(So, we have dismantled four guerilla fronts and we are still conducting operations continuously.)

Brawner said many “high-value individuals” have been neutralized. Some of the armed rebels were killed in encounters while some have surrendered to authorities.

He said the government is offering a Comprehensive Local Integration Program in which former rebels may receive livelihood programs and other assistance.

In May, meanwhile, the National Amnesty Commission (NAC) came up with the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for amnesty applications.

For this year, the Commission is expecting applications from the following concerned groups:

• 13,000 applications from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)
• 10,000 from Communist Party of the Philippines - New People's Army - National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF)
• 2,000 from Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB)
• 1,500 Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

— RSJ, GMA Integrated News