TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) – The wing of the New People’s Army, armed unit of the Communist Party of the Philippines, operating in Cagayan Valley has been significantly weakened following the dismantling of several rebel groups from 2018 to 2024, according to the Philippine Army and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA).
Based on surveillance and intelligence reports, 502nd Brigade Commander Eugene M. Mata said only one armed group remains in the region, consisting of eight guerrilla members from the Komiteng Rehiyon Cagayan Valley.
The red unit, he said, currently operates in the Sierra Madre Mountain within the coastal communities of Isabela.
“Our military operations are focused on this group. Our goal is to neutralize them and to ensure the sustainability of the insurgency-free declarations, preventing the return of rebel groups,” Mata said.
He added that since last year, the provinces of Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, and Cagayan have been declared insurgency-free following the dismantling of guerrilla fronts operating in these areas.
“Some municipalities and cities in Isabela have also been declared insurgency-cleared. We are now working toward declaring the entire province insurgency-free, given that the remaining eight NPA members are incapable of launching insurgent activities and are being closely monitored by our troops,” he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Regional Director Remus Rabara of the National Intelligence Coordinating NICA Region 2 emphasized that although the rebel force has weakened, law enforcement agencies and the public must remain vigilant as non-armed members of the group are still attempting to recruit new members.
“We continue to monitor recruitment activities, particularly in schools where students are targeted and in remote communities where Indigenous Peoples are at risk. We cannot afford to be complacent, as efforts to replenish their ranks are ongoing,” Rabasa warned.
He also mentioned that authorities are intensifying their information campaigns in rural areas and universities to educate the public about the deceptive tactics used by rebel groups to recruit new members. (OTB/PIA Region 2)
