INSURGENCY-FREE. Former members of the New People's Army hold a peace rally Wednesday (April 20, 2022) expressing support for the peace campaign of the military in Zamboanga del Norte. The province has been declared insurgency-free after the Army's 102nd Infantry Brigade successfully dismantled the last NPA guerrilla front in the area earlier this month. (Photo courtesy of the 102IB) ZAMBOANGA CITY - Zamboanga del Norte is now insurgency-free after state forces successfully dismantled the last guerrilla front of the New People's Army (NPA) operating in the area, officials said Thursday. Brig. Gen. Leonel Nicolas, the Army's 102nd Infantry Brigade commander, said the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) of Zamboanga del Norte declared the province as such through a resolution approved Wednesday. Nicolas said the last NPA guerrilla unit in the province, Guerrilla Front Big Beautiful Country, was officially dismantled on April 4. "We
PROVISIONAL BATTALION. The Army's 1st Infantry Division (ID) activates Wednesday (April 20, 2022) a provincial battalion to guard the conduct of the May 9 national and local elections in its areas of jurisdiction in western Mindanao. The battalion is composed of organic personnel and soldiers undergoing career and specialization courses at the 1st Division Training School. (Photo courtesy of the 1ID) ZAMBOANGA CITY - The Army's 1st Infantry Division (1ID) has activated a provisional battalion to augment security forces that will be ensuring the honest and peaceful conduct of the forthcoming election within its area of responsibility in western Mindanao. Maj. Gen. Generoso Ponio, 1ID commander, said Thursday that the battalion is composed of organic personnel and soldiers undergoing career and specialization courses at the 1st Division Training School. "The battalion was activated Wednesday as additional troops are needed to provide the necessary security requirements for t
NO TO NPAs. Members of the National Alliance for Democracy (NAD) burn a flag of the New People's Army in a peace rally Friday (March 25, 2022) in Buug, Zamboanga Sibugay. Simultaneous peace rallies were held in the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Sur condemning the atrocities of the NPA in the region.(Photo courtesy of the 1st Infantry Division) ZAMBOANGA CITY - Simultaneous rallies were held Friday afternoon in the provinces of Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte denouncing the atrocities of the New People's Army (NPA) in the region. The rallies were aimed to encourage the people to stand up against the NPA, whose group is set to celebrate its 53rd founding anniversary on March 29. Members of the National Freedom for Peace Movement (NAFPEM) together with the 4th Area Cadre Team initiated the conduct of a motorcade and peace rally in Molave, Zamboanga del Sur, to counter the 53rd founding anniversary of the NPA. NAFPEM is a non-government organization tha