AFP's Gapay orders dismantling of all NPA ‘guerrilla fronts’ in 2021

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Gilbert Gapay ordered the dismantling of all remaining New People’s Army guerilla fronts by the end of 2021 given that the communist insurgents were “weakened.”

“I noticed a lot of these New People's Army units have been weakened so this is our target for all the Unified Commands," Gapay said in a statement.

According to the AFP, commanders were allowed to set their priority targets along with their task to hasten the clearing of identified focus areas.

“Focused military operations shall be intensified in order to destroy the armed groups, taking advantage of our newly acquired game-changer assets," Gapay said.

He added that were still 54 so-called guerilla fronts and nine regional armed groups that were “on the brink of collapse.”

"We have significantly decimated these groups such that we could target to catch up on our goals toward the end of the first semester of this year," the AFP chief said.

Meanwhile, the Abu Sayyaf Group has suffered setbacks such as the reduction of manpower and firearms at 171 and 182, respectively, at the end of 2020.

The military chief added that the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters also “incurred losses in all areas.”

The BIFF, which the AFP said remains at the primary spoiler in Central and Western Mindanao, suffered a reduction in manpower from 278 in 2019 to 252 in 2020 while their firearms were reduced to 236 to 208 in the same period.

Meanwhile, Gapay also ordered AFP units to further intensify focused military operations along with the conduct of "preventing and countering violent extremism" programs.

Territorial defense

The AFP chief, meanwhile, said that the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as strategic resources and critical infrastructure, remained secure and protected.

Despite this, Gapay said the country needed to “adjust to effectively address the growing challenges in the West Philippine Sea.”

Field Units and the General Headquarters have been directed to review lines of operations, lines of efforts, as well as key tasks to ensure that the AFP will remain effective in responding to prevailing situations.

"Continue to find innovative ways in asserting our sovereignty over our territorial claims and exercising our sovereign rights in the WPS," Gapay said.

Gapay said that NOLCOM and WESCOM have also been assigned as area task force chairs “to rationalize the utilization of maritime patrol assets.”

"I enjoin everyone to observe excellence and professionalism in the performance of our duties while living up to our core values of honor, service, and patriotism," Gapay said. — DVM, GMA News