NDF says 6 more guerrilla fronts established in Mindanao
DAVAO CITY – From a total of 40 guerrilla fronts actively operating in Mindanao in 2010 during the first year of the Aquino administration, the National Democratic Front (NDF) in Mindanao said forces of the New People’s Army (NPA) have already expanded to 46 guerrilla fronts scattered in five regions.
This was the statement made by NDF Mindanao spokesperson Jorge Madlos alias Ka Oris in a statement sent to the media, emphasizing that “not one front was dismantled” in Mindanao despite the concentration of military forces in the area.
“The revolution has continued to advance in the island of Mindanao despite the government’s deployment of 60 percent of its armed forces here,” says Madlos.
The figure of the 60 percent concentration of military forces in Mindanao do not include the numbers of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU), and other paramilitary groups like the BULIF, Alamara, Gantangan, Bagani, Magahat, Calpet’s group and others, he added.
NPA forces are now operating in 2,500 villages in 200 cities and municipalities in Mindanao, an increase in terms of influence which was only figured at 1,850 villages in 2010, Madlos said.
“A third of these areas are consolidated areas while several more areas were under the organs of political power or people’s democratic government on the level of barrio and some are city or town levels,” he added.
He also pointed out that the mass base of the NPAs has now grown to 200,000 from 130,000 in 2010.
The mass base, he emphasized, provides for easy maneuvering of NPA troops in the countryside, a steady base for Party and NPA fighter recruits, and help in the launching people’s campaigns.
The increase of the NPA formations in Mindanao have also led to the intensified tactical offensives carried out in the area.
Madlos cited the yearly increase of NPA’s tactical offensives in Mindanao, from 250 in 2010 to 350 in 2011, 400 in 2012, almost 400 offensives in each year of 2013 and 2014, and almost 500 in 2015.
In the same statement, Madlos mentioned some of the successful tactical offensives in Mindanao that include the raid in Monkayo town in Compostela Valley in April 2014 where 74 firearms were seized by the NPAs.
The other successful operations include the raid inside the PNP headquarters in Tigbao, Zamboanga del Sur, Don Victoriano, Misamis Occidental, and Alegria, Surigao del Norte; the raid against Earth Savers Security in Butuan City; the raid against the Army’s Community Organizing for Peace and Development in Gingoog City, Tandag City, and San Fernando in Bukidnong; the raid against Army-Cafgu detachment in BiInicalan, San Luis, Agusan Del Sur; in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, and Banay-banay in Davao Oriental; and the punishment against three giant mining companies in Taganito, Claver, Surigao del Norte and the plantation in of Del Monte Phils. in Bukidnon.
A total of 61 prisoners of war were captured by the rebels during the administration of President Aquino, he added.
Source http://www.mb.com.ph/ndf-says-6-more-guerrilla-fronts-established-in-mindanao/
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