DAVAO CITY, July 27 (PIA) – In his last State of the Nation Address held Monday (July 26), President Rodrigo Roa-Duterte disclosed that the government deviated from the traditional purely military approach in addressing problems on national security.

“With the creation of NTF-ELCAC (National Task Force in Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict), we have made strides in addressing the root causes of this conflict by empowering our kababayans who have been used by the communist forces in many decades. Through the NTF-ELCAC, we invested in farm-to-market roads, school buildings, water and sanitation (areas), health stations, and livelihood,” President Duterte said.

He claimed that because of such interventions, 17,000 former communist rebels have surrendered to the government.

“They have returned to the folds of the law and are happy with the reintegration programs.”

The President expressed his confidence that with the support of the local government units, support for the communist movement will continue to erode in the next few months.

And like the decades-old Moro rebellion in Mindanao, he said the country will also bring an end to the armed struggle of the communists once and for all.

Days before the actual SONA, the 10th Infantry Agila Division, Philippine Army in a Pre-SONA Special episode of the One Davao Virtual Presser enumerated significant gains that contributed to the whole-of-nation efforts in ending the armed struggle of the communists.

The spokesperson of the 10th ID Maj. Gerry Lamosao shared that from 2020 to 2021, three (3) guerrilla fronts namely; Weakened Guerrilla Front 33, WGF TALA and Weakened Guerrilla Front 56 were dismantled by the fourth quarter of 2020. While additional three (3) GFs for first semester will be dismantled namely WGF South, WGF North and PBC.

The President credited the police and military for destroying so many communist fronts. More than 15 apparatuses of the Communist Party of the Philippines fronts have been destroyed.

Aside from dismantling guerilla fronts, The JTF Agila neutralized 481 members of the communist terrorist groups (CTG) with seven enemis killed and 19 captured.

Likewise, 114 other regular members, 113 MB and 56 SPL surrendered while 166 UGMO/mass supports were redirected and reoriented. Further, a total of  126 firearms were gained; 79 were high-powered and 47 low-powered. There were also nine encounters, 61 Anti Personnel Mine captured/surrendered and, 24 enemy hideouts discovered.

For Davao Region, 364 communist rebels were neutralized, 55 firearms were gained thru Combat and Surrender, two (2) encounters, 36 IEDs were gained and 11 enemy hideout were discovered.

Lamosao bared that the right mix of TRIAD Operations coupled with the implementation of Community Support Programs and other Campaign Innovations resulted to the neutralization of  31 High Value Individuals  and other High Ranking CTGs. During the period, a total of 13 guerilla front secretaries were neutralized. (PIA XI/Frances Mae G. Macapagat)