“There are no remaining guerrilla groups in the country. The government will ensure that none will ever form again.”
Those words were spoken by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in his fourth State of the Nation Address before Congress on July 28.
Thousands of rebels have surrendered, the Chief Executive reported, and are being supported with financial assistance so they can resume normal lives and be with their families.
Moreover, the government is developing their communities with roads, irrigation and jobs through partnerships with the private sector.
But a day earlier, on July 27, government troops figured in a 30-minute firefight with members of the communist-led New People’s Army in Masbate province in the Bicol region.
Seven NPA rebels were killed during the clash, with no casualties reported on the government side. Troops seized nine high-powered firearms, along with subversive materials and personal items.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines military described the operations as a “final push” against the dwindling insurgency, with only about 50 armed guerrillas estimated to remain in the province.
The rebel army is “on the brink of collapse,” it added, citing years of defeats, surrenders, and internal divisions, and the military continuing to encourage remaining rebels to surrender and join reintegration programs as part of government efforts to find a peaceful resolution of the armed conflict.
The AFP said in mid-2024 they had reached “strategic victory” over the communist rebels and expected to attain “total victory” by the end of that year.
The latest clash between the AFP and the NPA and other sporadic clashes elsewhere in the country with the rebels reportedly on the receiving end of superior hostile fire indicate the military is well on the way to achieving “total victory” before the end of the current administration.
Meanwhile, peace has returned to southern Philippines after more than three decades of armed conflict.
In 2024, the government signed a comprehensive peace deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front that led to the establishment of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
This experiment in self-rule by Muslim Filipinos led to the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao which will elect the members of its parliament later this year, reflecting the progress made in attaining a durable peace.
However, latest news reports saying the MILF will not deactivate its remaining 14,000 combatants until the government substantially complies with the peace agreement signed in 2014 shows that peace remains fragile.
The MILF, which has transformed into a political party, wants the government to consolidate self-rule through the provision of socio-economic packages for the MILF’s more than 26,000 combatants, and other confidence-building measures.
Will the government listen?
We really hope so, to achieve lasting peace that can lead to better living conditions for Muslim Filipinos.
