Philippines: AFP ‘neutralization’ of hundreds of NPA fighters, supporters are hollow claims

On May 15, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) dismissed as “fictitious and desperate” the recent claims by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that it had “neutralized” 625 members and supporters of the New People’s Army (NPA) between January 1 and May 7. The Party said the report contains hollow claims to create the illusion of victory, in order to mask its inability to stop the regrowth of the NPA across the country.

“It is farcical for the AFP to claim hundreds of ‘neutralizations’ after Marcos himself declared victory over the NPA last year,” said CPP Chief Information Officer Marco Valbuena. The military’s claims that 548 surrendered, that 49 were killed, 28 arrested, 25 NPA encampments captured, in fact, “all point to the fact that the NPA remains widespread and active.”

“If the NPA were as decimated as they claimed last year, where did all these hundreds of fighters and supporters spring from?” asked Valbuena, adding that these numbers are all made up as part of the counterinsurgency corruption scheme.

“How much do AFP generals and officers pocket for every ‘rebel’ they claim to have ‘neutralized’?” asked Valbuena. He said that these figures are shielded from independent verification and scrutiny. “It’s all just a scheme for corruption. The bigger the number, the bigger kickbacks for AFP leadership,” he said.

The CPP reiterated its long-standing criticism of the AFP’s “surrender” program (E-CLIP), noting that the military routinely rounds up civilian farmers and residents of rural communities, and forcing them to pose as “former NPA.” This practice, Valbuena noted, constitutes a gross violation of civil rights and of protection under international humanitarian law.

While acknowledging the loss of several red fighters in recent months, calling them the “best sons and daughters of the people,” Valbuena clarified that the actual number of martyrs is significantly lower than the 49 “killed in action” reported by the AFP.

“A number of these are civilians and non-combatants who were summarily executed by AFP soldiers, but portrayed as fighters who died in battle,” said Valbuena. “The AFP has a bloody record of murdering civilians, captured and wounded red fighters instead of treating them as prisoners of war. These are grave war crimes,” Valbuena said.

He cited the recent killing of 19 people in the “Toboso Massacre” in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, Negros Occidental, last April 19, which included at least nine unarmed individuals. Valbuena suspects that the AFP’s claims of 49 killed include the civilians and non-combatants it killed in Toboso.

The party concluded that as long as the fundamental roots of the armed conflict – landlessness, poverty and foreign subordination – remain unaddressed, no amount of manufactured AFP statistics can declare victory over the people’s resistance.

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