AFP: NPA suffering tactical defeat

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines claimed on Monday that communist rebels are suffering a tactical defeat following a spate of kidnappings, encounters and arrests over the past few days.

In a press statement, the Armed Forces declared that the New People's Army (NPA) has suffered defeats in several fronts in different provinces more than a week after President Rodrigo Duterte launched an all-out war against communist guerillas.

"And since then, the communist rebels had suffered several tactical defeats and the support of some frightened citizens continues to erode," the military said.

The AFP attributed these advances to "deliberate, surgical, focused and well-planned combat, intelligence and civil-military operations" launched by the military in various areas.

The military also asserted that the communist rebels were losing hold of their men on the ground as demonstrated by the mismatch between National Democratic Front's (NDF) call for continued peace talks and the rebels' attacks on civilians and businesses.

In Barangay Pangle in Masbate, four NPA members were killed after a 20-minute gunfight at 6:30 am on Sunday. Elements of the 2IB and 96 military intelligence encountered the rebels while conducting security operations in the area.

The troops recovered two M14 rifles, two M16, one m203 and subversive documents following the retreat of the rebels toward the southeast direction.

The military also said that two civilians and one solider was killed in an ambushed staged by NPA rebels in Agusan del Norte on February 11 while the soldiers were acting on reports on NPA presence in Santiago town. Three civilians were also seriously wounded when the 10 rebels "indiscriminately fired" government troops.

Other incidents of NPA attacks were also reported on February 11 in Caraga, Davao Oriental and on February 12 in San Fernando, Bukidnon. No casualties were recorded in these two incidents.

The AFP also reported that NPA elements abducted four civilans in two separate incidents in Trento, Agusan Del Sur on February 5 and in Moco, Compostella Valley on Febuary 8.

On Febuary 12, the Philippine National Police and an intelligence unit of the military arrested an NPA leader in Caloocan City.

The leader was identified as Ferdinand Castillo, secretary of the Metro Manila Regional Party Committee. The arrest was done by virtue of a warrant of arrest for double murder and multiple attempted murder charges issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 63 in Calauag, Quezon Province.

In Sarangani, six NPA members were arrested, five of whom were carrying high-powered firearms.