LINKAGE. Department of Agriculture (DA) 8 (Eastern Visayas) Executive Director Angel Enriquez (left) and Philippine Army 8th Infantry Division commander, Maj. Gen. Edgardo de Leon, during a meeting on Aug. 17, 2022. The Philippine Army has teamed up with the DA to address the concerns of farmers in remote areas vulnerable to the influence of the New People's Army.(Photo courtesy of DA-8) TACLOBAN CITY - The Philippine Army has forged ties with the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Eastern Visayas to address the concerns of farmers in remote areas, who are vulnerable to the influence of the New People's Army (NPA). Most NPA recruits are farmers in far-flung areas persuaded through the exploitation of government flaws, Philippine Army 8th Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Edgardo de Leon said on Thursday. "We are partnering together to find solution(s) to problems in farming communities. We will provide information to the DA on the needs in upland communities for allocat
BANNED. Bomb-making components recovered by government troops in Northern Samar on Feb. 10, 2022. A soldier died while five others were wounded when the New People's Army detonated on Tuesday (July 19) internationally-banned anti-personnel mines in the remote Osang village in Catubig, Northern Samar.(Photo courtesy of Philippine Army) TACLOBAN CITY - A soldier died while five others were wounded on Tuesday when the New People's Army (NPA) detonated anti-personnel mines in the remote Osang village in Catubig, Northern Samar. Lt. Col. Joemar Buban, commander of the Army's 20th Infantry Battalion, said the incident occurred 9:25 a.m. within a coconut farm just a kilometer away from a nearby community. "There was a 15-minute clash after the explosion, and our troops are still finding out the number of casualties from the enemy side. We are sending our air assets to evacuate the blast victims," Buban said in a phone interview. The fatality and injured soldiers were amo
BANNED. Some anti-personnel mines turned over by a former rebel to the Philippine Army in Borongan City, Eastern Samar on June 3, 2022. The Philippine Army has formally asked the Commission on Human Rights 8 (Eastern Visayas) to investigate the frequent use of internationally banned anti-personnel mines by the New People's Army in the Samar provinces.(Photo courtesy of Philippine Army) TACLOBAN CITY - The Philippine Army has formally asked the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) 8 (Eastern Visayas) to investigate the frequent use of internationally banned anti-personnel mines (APMs) by the New People's Army (NPA) in the Samar provinces. In a letter, the commander of the Philippine Army's 8th Infantry Division, Maj. Gen. Edgardo de Leon, told CHR-8 Director Desiree Pontejos that the NPA consistently ignores the International Humanitarian Law. "The 8th Infantry Division respectfully requests the CHR to faithfully execute its mandate to uphold the respect of Human Rights pri
A land mine set by suspected communist guerrillas wounded seven soldiers in the central Philippines, in one of the insurgents’ first known attacks since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr took office last week.
ROAD FOR PEACE. The ongoing construction of access road to the remote village of San Miguel in Las Navas, Northern Samar. This is one of the projects under the Barangay Development Program designed to end insurgency. (Photo courtesy of Northern Samar provincial engineering office) TACLOBAN CITY - The New People's Army (NPA) in Northern Samar has lost its source of food and funds with the initial implementation of Barangay Development Program (BDP) in six remote communities, a top official of the Philippine Army said. In the past five months, the communist terrorists have stopped receiving financial support and food supplies from communities with the rollout of development initiatives, Maj. Gen. Edgardo de Leon, commander of the Philippine Army's 8th Infantry Division said in an interview Wednesday. "The much-improved accessibility to these villages due to ongoing farm-to-market road projects has driven the NPA away from communities. The people have stopped giving support t