• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Army chief Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete declared on Friday that there are no more active New People’s Army guerilla fronts across the country, only rebel remnants.
Nafarrete, who visited the 303rd Infantry Brigade headquarters in Murcia, Negros Occidental, to check the morale and welfare of Army troops, said that while they are now shifting to the external defense of the country, they are not yet abandoning internal security operations.
For decades, the Army has been heavily engaged in counterinsurgency campaigns.
The sustained military operations and the whole-of-nation approach toward ending the country’s insurgency problem has reportedly brought down the number of active New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla fronts to zero.
The transition to external defense posture, according to Nafarrete, is anchored on the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC), which serves as the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) blueprint for external defense.
“As we shift to territorial defense, the Army’s primary role is to protect our land,” he added
While the Philippine Army has managed to dismantle all the five guerilla fronts in Negros Island, rebel remnants have resorted to killing civilians that they allege as military spies. Military reports indicated that more than 30 civilians have been killed by rebels since March last year.
Rebel remnants recently torched about P7 million worth of heavy equipment in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental.
The CPP-NPA previously claimed maintaining around 120 guerrilla fronts, operating across over 70 provinces.
The Philippine National Police is also being readied to handle the internal security operations (ISO).
Nafarrete said the Philippine Army will help in the ISO campaign of the PNP.
The Philippine Army is marking its 129th founding anniversary on March 19.
Nafarrete said they will honor various stakeholders who supported the Philippine Army, in terms of community development, and training of their personnel.
Accompanied by Maj. Gen. Michael Samson, 3rd Infantry Division commander, Nafarrete also visited the 302nd Infantry Brigade headquarters in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental.*
