It seems that the New People’s Army (NPA) is having a difficult time regaining its former strength and influence in the province, as the community is no longer sympathetic to the cause of the communist insurgents.
This is the assessment bared by 1Lt. Elma Grace Remonde, the civil military operations officer of the 47th Infantry Battalion (IB) in a radio interview over “Open Forum” program aired last Thursday, July 23, 2020.
Remonde, in the same interview, confirmed that the armed men that opened fire against the government forces last Tuesday, July 21, 2020 at barangay Cambigsi, Bilar are indeed members of the NPA.
She said that the attack is a way of the rebels to show off that they remain relevant and are still capable of launching attacks against government units.
There were no reported casualties in the incident where the military vehicle sustained damage in the shooting incident.
Remonde said that the NPAs are trying to regain back their turf in Bohol, which is quite difficult to achieve at this time.
Remonde also said that people in the community want peace in their area and it is for this reason that the NPA’s activities are being reported to the authorities, which in turn translate to operations by the military to hunt these insurgents down.
She added that several NPA members already returned to the fold of the government, a move that further weakens the cause of these communist insurgents.
With the community’s help, it is going to be difficult for the NPAs to create a strong base here.
More than a decade ago, government and military authorities declared Bohol as insurgency-free, as the activities of these rebels have become dormant. A revival of their former strength is what these insurgents want but they are not gaining any headway, Remonde said in the same interview.
Remonde also bared that the rebels are affected tremendously by the programs of the government seeking to end local conflict.
The 47th IB has been conducting insurgency awareness campaigns in the barangays for local residents and educate them in what these rebels are bringing into their communities, which lead to disruption in peace and order.
Remonde said the conduct of shooting incidents and ambuscades is a ploy by the NPA as a means of propaganda to let the community know that they are relevant and are nd capable of regaining their former strength here.
But Remonde insists that the members of the NPA are getting weaker because of the various programs being implemented by the Philippine Army in cooperation with civilian government authorities.
She is confident that as long as the community will support the pursuit of peace and order, the NPA’s goals will not prosper.
Meantime, Remonde said that it is possible that there are other NPA rebels who had been buried in shallow graves by the leaders of the insurgency. As more information is obtained, there is a possibility that more remains of NPA rebels may be discovered.
On July 15, 2020, the Army plus members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) exhumed the remains of a certain Ka Willy who died last August 2019. The remains were buried in a location in barangay Rizal, Batuan town.
Remonde said that despite being an “enemy of the state” proper burial was given to Ka Willy.
As of press time, the Scene of the Crime Operatives has yet to release information on the real identity of the late NPA rebel