'Southern Luzon rebels' strength down by 40%'

MANILA, Philippines - Less than a month before the anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the Armed For­ces’ Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) yesterday said it has reduced the strength of the insurgents in its turf by more than 40 percent since 2007.

Col. Generoso Bolina, Solcom spokesman, said as of this month, the strength of the New People’s Army (NPA), the military arm of the CPP, has dwindled to 704 from 1,303 in 2007.  

The firearms of the insurgents, meanwhile, have been reduced to 762 from 1,320 in 2007, the year the Armed For­ces started implementing its counter-insurgency campaign Bantay Laya. 

Bolina attributed the decline to their pursuit operations as well as developmental programs in the Calabarzon region, comprising Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.  

He said southern Luzon is important to the NPA due to its proximity to Metro Manila and its contribution to the economy.  

“Southern Luzon is a source of power. It has a big contribution to the economy and is a huge source of income… We are continuously running after the rebels,” Bolina told The STAR in a phone interview yesterday.