AFP uses ‘love month’ to encourage NPA fighters to surrender

TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines in Eastern Visayas is using the observance of “love month” this February to encourage members of the New People’s Army (NPA) to return to the fold of the law.

The campaign, spearheaded by the Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade, which covers the provinces of Leyte and parts of Samar and Eastern Samar, aims to persuade rebels to end their armed struggle against the government, according to Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, the commander of the brigade based in Ormoc City, Leyte.

Dubbed “Love Will Lead You Back,” the campaign seeks to send a message to insurgents.

“This month of love, the 802nd Infantry Brigade delivers a strong appeal: abandon the fight, for love, will lead you back home—to family, to peace, to the heart’s true victory,” Vestuir said over the weekend.

READ: 61 ex-NPA rebels in Eastern Visayas seek government’s amnesty program

Set against the backdrop of Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14, the initiative aims to remind insurgents that love and peace await them at home.

Vestuir hoped that active communist rebels would be encouraged to surrender, following the example of their former comrades who had already abandoned their cause.

“Through this campaign, we hope to touch the hearts of those still hiding in the mountains, urging them to lay down their arms and embrace a future filled with hope and reconciliation,” he said.

Forms of appeal

Vestuir said the brigade would utilize both emotional appeals and technology to reach out to active rebels.

Their former comrades, along with their families, will be featured in online campaigns to encourage others to surrender.

“This creative approach merges technology and emotion, leveraging the universal theme of love to reach out to insurgents in ways that traditional methods cannot,” he said.

By showcasing real stories of former rebels who have successfully reintegrated into society, the “Love Will Lead You Back” program seeks to dispel fears about surrendering and highlight the government’s commitment to peace and rehabilitation.

Vestuir reported that 72 former NPA members have already applied for the government’s amnesty program.

Of these, 66 are from the Samar provinces, while six are from Leyte.

Under the administration of President Marcos, the government is offering amnesty to members of the NPA, as well as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front.