Documents Found Show NPA in Distress

Faced with pressing concerns on various fronts exacerbated by the series of surrenders, the New People’s Army (NPA) in Caraga region had been observed to be in deep trouble.

Col. Andres Centino, brigade commander of the 401st Infantry (Unity) Brigade of the Philippine Army (PA) based in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, said to have “recovered documents” outlining one of the rebels’ utmost concerns.  This was tagged along with the issue on how the NPA could address their comrades who had already turned themselves in to authorities.

With this, the army official disclosed that rebels here had been looking for a way on how to “plug the hole in order to stop the bleeding out.”

All of these triumphs in Caraga region were attributed to the intensified security operations together with the Community Support Program (CSP) conducted hand in hand with the 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade under BGen. Franco Nemesio Gacal.

Meanwhile, Col. Centino, whose area of operation covers the southern part of Surigao del Sur on top of Agusan del Sur, noted that there were no such thing as “NPA recruitment” in his area of responsibility (AOR).  Instead, personnel of Community Support Teams (CSTs) deployed in the hinterland villages, particularly insurgency-affected areas, had noticed “swelling on possible surrenders” based on reports gathered.

The brigade commander said that there was already a great deal of dismay being felt among the ranks of  rebel fighters owing to a number of factors including lack of sustainment of logistical support from ammunitions and even food supplies apart from mounting number of casualties during clashes with the military.

With the current situation that more seemed to be trying to find a way out or “lie low,” Centino bared that the armed wing had been avoiding encounters recently. (NGBT/GTataro/Radyo Pilipinas-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)