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Military: Over 5,000 NPA rebels, supporters neutralized

Philippines | National

Military: Over 5,000 NPA rebels, supporters neutralized

By Martin Sadongdong

Government forces have neutralized 5,164 alleged members and supporters of the New People's Army (NPA) this year, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) bared Sunday.

Gen. Gilbert Gapay
(PHILIPPINE ARMY / MANILA BULLETIN)

Gen. Gilbert Gapay, AFP chief of staff, said the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) "continues to suffer tactical losses" with the death of 169 rebels, arrest of 218, and surrender of 4,777 others.

He said among the "high-value targets" who were neutralized includes Mitchel Fat, a platoon leader of an NPA front operating in Negros, Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor.

Fat was killed during the service of a warrant of arrest last Aug. 31 in Ilog, Negros Occidental. He was tagged as the mastermind in the killing of four policemen in Ayungon, Negros Oriental in July 2019.

Meanwhile, special forces and local police apprehended Sarvina Quijano, an alleged finance officer of the NPA in Northeastern Mindanao, during a checkpoint operation in Surigao del Sur last Aug. 20.

Quijano was accosted while onboard a multicab after she was allegedly found carrying two improvised explosive device during a random check.

Military and police also nabbed Joel Banganan and Ranny Urbis, the alleged top communist leaders in Abra and Ilocos Sur, respectively, during a joint law enforcement operation in Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur last Aug. 14.

Mario Caraig, a suspected NPA leader operating in Southern Tagalog, was killed by government forces in Kalayaan, Laguna on Aug, 7.

Aside from the neutralization of high-value targets, Gapay said eight guerilla fronts were also dismantled in 2020 alone. He said three of them were located in Luzon, two in Visayas, and three in Mindanao.

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