With guerrilla fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army greatly weakened, the rebels may regroup using the exploratory talks that the National Democratic Front of the Philippines is pushing for with the government, according to the National Security Council, or NSC.

NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya, in a radio interview, said the government’s successive anti-insurgency efforts prevailed against possible atrocities by the communist armed group.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had indicated in a social media post the other day that the communist terrorist groups had lost their active fronts.

“There’s always a possibility that they will regroup but we think that even the recent development will gradually fail and with the deaths of the (CPP-NPA) leaders… I think, we are now at a strategic victory and they will have a hard time going back to their previous strength during the ‘90s,” Malaya said over DZBB radio on Monday.

No NPA sincerity

He said the weakened communist fronts can no longer be considered a “force to reckon with” since they “no longer get support” from the masses.

“They are no longer a significant threat. In fact, the armed forces is saying we are now in a strategic victory against the CPP-NPA,” he said.

President Marcos on Saturday said the government would remain alert and continue its anti-insurgency efforts on internal security.

In November 2023, the government and the CPP’s political wing, the NDF, agreed to a “principled and peaceful resolution of the armed conflict.”

This came after the communist group demanded the resumption of peace talks despite its launching of a “3rd Rectification Movement” with its armed wing, the NPA.

The program seeks to intensify the “protracted people’s war” against the government with its launching during its 55th anniversary on 26 December last year.