3 NPA fronts in Southern Tagalog dismantled — Army

LUCENA CITY – Three New People’s Army (NPA) guerilla fronts have bene dismantled in the Southern Tagalog region, the military said on Monday.

“The Southern Tagalog NPAs lost another three guerilla fronts as the government’s campaign to end local armed conflict intensifies,” Captain Jayrald Ternio, head of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) public information office, said in a statement.

The three rebel strongholds were formerly being operated by communist guerillas in the provinces of Quezon, Batangas, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna and parts of Bulacan and Aurora, according to Ternio.

He described the “guerilla fronts” as local NPA organizations supposedly “responsible for extortion, murder of government officials including AFP and PNP members, harassment of businesses and destruction of flagship projects”.

“The dismantling of these fronts has effectively put an end to the NPA’s terroristic activities in most parts of Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon),” Ternio said.

The Army’s 2ID covers the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) region and the island provinces of Mindoro Oriental, Mindoro Occidental, Marinduque, and Romblon.

Major General Greg Almerol, 2nd ID commander, praised the soldiers for the dismantling of the rebel bases of operation and dedication in carrying out their task in promoting peace.

“These achievements were made possible by the relentless efforts and commitment of our soldiers and the unity of all levels of government through the different Task Forces to End Local Armed Conflict in pursuit of the much-coveted peace for our country,” Almerol said.

Almerol called on the remaining NPA rebels operating in the Southern Tagalog region to peacefully surrender and return to the fold of the law.

The military is providing all necessary assistance to the former rebels in their reintegration under the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-Clip).

E-Clip offers free medical services, education, housing, and legal aid to rebels who will surrender.

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