Only 11 weakened NPA guerrilla fronts are left, says Brawner

Citing the hardships they encountered in the armed struggle, 11 communist rebels in Sorsogon surrendered to government troops on Christmas Day. (File photo dated December 26, 2022 courtesy of Army’s 903rd Infantry Battalion)

MANILA, Philippines — The number of guerrilla fronts of communist New People’s Army (NPA) has declined from 13 to 11.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said the decrease was reported to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

The Commander in Chief attended the military command conference at AFP Commissioned Officers Club House at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon city on Monday.

“It was announced that there were 13 (weakened guerrilla fronts),” Brawner said in an ambush interview after the event.

“In our presentation this morning, we presented to the President that from the 13th, it’s now down to 11,” he told reporters.

Former AFP Spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar said there are around 1,500 members of NPA left, as of December 2023.

The figure was at about 25,000 during the peak of the communist rebellion in 1987.

Aguilar also said there are no more active guerrilla fronts in the country.

Established on March 29, 1969, NPA has been waging the longest-running Maoist insurgency in the world.