Visayas Marks Significant Gains Against CPP-NPA in 2023: Clearing Insurgency and Dismantling Guerilla Fronts

The Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) faced a severe reduction in manpower and armed capability in the Visayas in 2023, resulting in the clearing of 343 insurgency-infested communities. Throughout the year, there were 162 government-initiated armed encounters, with 607 NPA terrorists neutralized. This included 84 fatalities, 25 apprehensions, and 498 surrenders, among them high-value NPA members, Benito and Wilma Tiamzon. Additionally, 490 mass supporters renounced their allegiance to the group. The Visayas Command reported the cooptation of 20 NPA-affected mass organizations and the dismantling of 17 sectoral front organizations, leading to the dismantling of five guerrilla fronts in collaboration with the National Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center (NJPSCC). The achievements are attributed to the active support and collaboration of peace-loving people in the Visayas region.