Eleazar says gov’t winning war vs communist insurgency

This photo taken on July 30, 2017 shows guerrillas of the New People’s Army (NPA) in formation in the Sierra Madre mountain range, located east of Manila. (Photo by Noel CELIS / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — The government is winning the war against the decades-old communist insurgency, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Guillermo Eleazar said on Saturday.

In a meeting of the National Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict, President Rodrigo Duterte said the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-National Democratic Front (NDF) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA)  are “no longer relevant to the lives of the Filipino people” and that the country is winning the war against the insurgents.

“The PNP agrees with President Duterte’s assessment that we are winning the war against communist insurgency and fully acknowledge the contributions of all government agencies and our LGUs (local government units) in this endeavor,” Eleazar said in a statement.

Eleazar, however, said the PNP is still keeping an eye on the CPP-NPA, which is accused of issuing  “permits to campaign” in certain jurisdictions, as well as the collection of “revolutionary taxes.”

“But we are not underestimating the capability of the remaining few especially in the coming election period when they could extort money that could be used to finance atrocities and recruitment and to undermine our democratic process come May 2022,” he added.

He also said that the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is continuing the case build-up against the group for alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL).

“Isasama ng CIDG sa asunto ang liderato ng CPP/NPA/NDF na siyang nagkukumpas sa pag-atake ng mga rebelde sa mga inosenteng sibilyan at ang paghasik ng karahasan sa ating mga komunidad,” Eleazar said, noting the group’s alleged use of anti-personnel mines, recruitment of child warriors, and atrocities against innocent civilians as grounds for IHL violation.

(The CIDG will also include the leadership of CPP-NPA-NDF that gives the marching orders on the attack of the rebels against innocent civilians as well as the sowing of terror on communities.)

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/MUF