THE Philippine Army said on Friday that the New People's Army (NPA) in Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) is on the verge of collapse as the remaining members are now 'leaderless' and disorganized with the recent deaths, capture and surrender of its top leaders in the region.
'They are leaderless now since no one is giving them instructions. Many of their members realized that they have been deceived,' Maj. Gen. Camilo Ligayo, commander of the Army's 8th Infantry Division, said.
Ligayo noted that Benito Tiamzon chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic (CPP-NDF) and its armed wing, NPA, together with his wife Wilma, were last seen in Samar last year, and nowhere to be found to make critical decisions for the group.
On Aug. 22, 2022, a boat carrying 10 NPA rebels exploded in Catbalogan, Samar. The casualties reportedly included Tiamzon and his wife.
In a press briefing last month, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency confirmed the couple's death based on intelligence reports and statements from their former comrades.
Likewise, Ligayo said the death of Helenita Pardales, secretary of the NPA's Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC) during a fierce gun battle on Nov. 23, 2022, in Las Navas, Northern Samar has further crippled the armed struggle.
Other NPA leaders in the region killed in the previous year were subregional committee finance officer Maria Norie Adelantar, EVRPC executive committee member Amado Adelantar and platoon leader Robin Rosco.
Meanwhile, those arrested were CPP central committee member Esteban Manuel, EVRPC member Leonardo Bernardo, EVRPC secretary Rosalinda Esponilla and EVRPC regional staff Leo Bagaris.
'All villages vulnerable to NPA infiltration are now controlled by the government, hence preventing recruitment of new members, recovery efforts, and denial of resource generation,' Ligayo said.
He said that all NPA members who have surrendered, including their mass supporters, have been organized into peacebuilder groups aided by various government agencies.
'If the NPA organized to fight the government, they are now organized for the government. They are monitored and given help to ensure that they will not be influenced again by rebels,' he said.
The Philippine Army is eyeing to completely dismantle the remaining four guerrilla fronts of the NPA in Samar Island this year through the 'whole-of-nation' approach.
The military estimated that there are still about 200 NPA fighters hiding in the mountains of Samar.