PEACEFUL LIFE. BGen. Romualdo Raymund Landingin (right), 503rd Infantry Brigade Commander under the 5th Infantry Division (5ID) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which has jurisdiction in the Cordillera Administrative Region, during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas press briefing on Tuesday (Aug. 13, 2024) in Baguio City. He said the presence and strength of rebel groups in the Cordillera have weakened due to the various anti-insurgency programs of the government and more people who prefer to live in peace. (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot)
BAGUIO CITY – Various anti-insurgency programs have resulted in weakening the presence and influence of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), an official of the 503rd Infantry Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said.
"The communist terrorist groups operating in the Cordillera have weakened in terms of manpower and firearms. They have weakened influence in the community,” BGen. Romualdo Raymund Landingin, 503rd Infantry Brigade Commander under the 5th Infantry Division (5ID) of the AFP, said during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas press briefing here on Tuesday.
Among the factors that contributed to this development is the enhanced comprehensive local integration program (E-CLIP), he said.
E-CLIP is a community-based national program aimed at addressing the legal status and ensuring security of former rebels while providing for their economic, social and psychological rehabilitation needs.
Data provided during the briefing show that 29 former rebels from the region have availed of the E-CLIP program under the current administration.
Most of these are from the province of Apayao, 14, and followed by those from Kalinga, 10, and Benguet, 5.
A total of PHP1.21 million has been allocated for the reintegration of the former rebels, the same data showed.
Landingin said strong partnerships with schools and youth organizations, including the Sangguniang Kabataan in the different municipalities of the region who have been trained and have committed to help prevent youth from being swayed into joining the terrorist organization, have also helped address the situation.
He said several provincial governments in the region have also passed “insurgency-free" declarations like Ifugao, Benguet including Baguio City.
These multi-faceted programs have resulted in the weakened presence and influence, manpower, and firearms of the Communist Party of the Philippines- New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), he said.
Landingin also said influence of the Ilocos-Cordillera Regional Committee’ (ICRC) has weakened after the dismantling of the Kilusang Larangang Gerilya (KLG) Ifugao in 2019 and the KLG Ampis in 2022, and the weakening of the KLG Baggas in 2022 and KLG North Abra in 2022.
“When we say weakened presence, insignificant na, di na makakapanggulo, hindi na pinakikinggan ng mga tao kahit pa mga taga malalayong lugar at wala na silang kaya na i-convince (ang mga tao) (When we say weakened presence it means insignificant, they cannot cause any trouble, not listened to anymore even by those from far-flung areas, and are unable to convince the public),” he said.
Data show that from more than 100 personnel in 2022, there are about 50 rebels left in 2024 after the rebels surrendered and availed of the E-CLIP, or were arrested or killed in encounters.
In terms of firearms, there were about 105 firearms in 2022 but these have been reduced to 54 so far this year, it said.
Landingin said many people have seen the difference of an insurgency-affected area compared to one that is peaceful.
“Ang mga mamamayan natin ngayon mas gusto na ang tahimik na buhay. Mas gusto na ang walang takbuhan at lumilipat sa mga evacuation (center) dahil may mga nagpuputukan. Kaya hindi na tinatanggap ang presence ng mga terorista sa mga lugar nila (People now prefer peaceful lives. They do not want to be running away and stay in evacuation centers because of exchange of fires. They no longer want the terrorists in their areas),” he added. (PNA)
