The Philippine National Police (PNP) vowed to strengthen its community engagement as part of its long-term campaign against communist insurgency to sustain security gains through continued operations.

Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr., PNP chief, said the approach will prioritize public trust and countering insurgent influence on the ground.

“Law enforcement is always an option but community engagement and information drive to counter their propaganda will be the top priority in our long-term campaign to finally put an end to this decades-long security challenge,” Nartatez said.

Nartatez attended the ninth executive committee meeting of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) presided by President Marcos Jr. in Malacañang last Wednesday, April 22.

The government created the NTF-ELCAC in 2018 to coordinate a “whole-of-nation” approach against insurgency, combining military action with development programs in conflict-affected areas, and part of the security cluster is the PNP.

The task force’s strategy has since focused on dismantling guerrilla fronts linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA).

At the meeting, officials discussed how to sustain gains and prevent a resurgence of armed groups.

“No community in our country deserves to be either a safe haven or a playground of lawless armed groups. Peace and development is part of the basic rights of every Filipino and this is what we commit to help deliver,” Nartatez said.

Recommendations presented to the committee included extending the government’s Amnesty Program, pushing key legislation, expanding development funding in former conflict areas, and improving coordination among agencies.

The PNP chief said coordination remains central to preventing insurgents from regaining ground.

“Patuloy na makikipag-ugnayan ang PNP sa ibang ahensya upang masigurong namamayagpag at matagumpay ang ating kampanya laban sa komunismo (The PNP will continue to coordinate with other agencies to ensure that our campaign against communism remains strong and successful),” he said.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) stood by on the legality of its operation in Toboso, Negros Occidental last April 19 that left 19 alleged NPA rebels dead, saying troops followed rules of engagement and ensured civilian safety.

In a statement, AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said the operation by troops of the 79th Infantry ‘Masaligan’ Battalion, under the 303rd Infantry Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, NPA rebels in the Northern Negros area “was launched based on verified reports from civilians on the presence of armed elements in the area.”

The military has long identified Negros Island as one of the remaining strongholds of the communist insurgency. Clashes between state forces and the NPA have persisted for decades despite peace efforts.

Human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns over military operations in insurgency-affected areas, especially when fatalities are high. The AFP has denied allegations of abuses in past encounters and has maintained that its actions are lawful.

Amid scrutiny, Trinidad said the operation “was conducted in accordance with established rules of engagement and with full regard for civilian safety.”

He added that “affected residents were safely evacuated at the height of the encounter and have since returned to their communities,” noting coordination with local government units and other agencies.

The decades-old communist insurgency, led by the CPP-NPA remains one of the country’s longest-running security challenges. Previous peace talks have stalled, with intermittent clashes continuing in rural areas.

“The AFP calls on the remaining CTG [communist-terrorist group] members to abandon the armed struggle and choose the path of peace,” Trinidad said.

“Lay down your arms, return to your families, and take part in building your communities as productive members of society,” he added.

The military said it “remains steadfast in its mandate to protect the Filipino people and support lasting peace and development in partnership with all stakeholders.”