NPA strength growing, MILF decreasing

New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas rose in strength and armaments in the past six months, while the number of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters dropped from 12,571 in December last year to 12,446 last June, the Army said yesterday.

Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes has validated the assertions of Sen. Rodolfo Biazon that the NPA is still the biggest threat to the country’s internal security.

Reyes told reporters at the presidential summer residence in Baguio City that the NPA will be a continuing threat on a national basis in the long term.

Quoting intelligence figures, Army officials told The STAR yesterday NPA guerrillas grew in number by 3.7 percent or up by 418, reaching a total strength of 11,673 men.

"We are tied up with our economic problems, that’s the major reason (for the increase in strength)," an Army official said.

Army officials said intelligence also gathered that the NPA’s armaments have increased from 6,851 in December last year to 7,045 during the first semester.

The NPA’s strength has been on the rise at an average of three to five percent yearly since 1998 when the country was struck by a regional currency crisis, Army officials added.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Jose Mabanta said yesterday many NPA recruits were forced to join the movement because of poverty, and that they have no idea of communism.

"Primarily, that (poverty) is the main reason why they are up in arms but they (new recruits of CPP/NPA) do not know the cause of the communist movement," he said.

Army officials said the MILF’s strength suffered following the massive military offensive against the rebels during the Estrada administration from January to July last year.

Estrada’s all-out war against the MILF led to the capture and dismantling of 46 major and satellite rebel camps in Central Mindanao, Army officials added.

Army officials said the MILF’s armaments also decreased to 9,129 from 9,261 following the military’s "tactical victories" last year. – Paolo Romero, Artemio Dumlao