TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division (8ID) reported the neutralization of 14 members of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC) of the New People’s Army (NPA) and the recovery of 15 firearms in a span of less than 30 days, underscoring what it described as a significant weakening of the communist group’s presence in Northern Samar.
According to the Army, the intensified military operations began on July 31, 2025, when government troops launched successive encounters in Barangay San Isidro, Las Navas, Northern Samar, targeting the EVRPC’s regional headquarters. Eight rebels were killed in the clashes, four of whom were identified as high-value individuals. Soldiers also seized 10 high-powered firearms while one NPA member surrendered.
The operations continued with three additional surrenders on August 24, when members of the NPA yielded to the 78th Infantry Battalion (78IB). They turned over a .45 caliber pistol and a 9mm pistol, citing hardships in the armed struggle and waning public support for their decision to abandon the movement.
Major General Adonis Ariel Orio, 8th ID commander, lauded the surrenders, calling them both a military and moral victory.
“While we strike against the remaining forces of the EVRPC, we are equally committed to accepting those who wish to return to civilian life,” he said.
Another major encounter occurred on August 27 in Barangay San Jose, Mapanas, where troops clashed with 10 armed members of the EVRPC’s Sub-Regional Guerrilla Unit. The hour-long firefight left two rebels dead and resulted in the recovery of two M16 rifles and other war materiel.
The fatalities were identified as Motaw Ortazo alias ‘Ibaro’ of Mapanas and Edwin Verano alias ‘Sammy’ of Silvino Lobos. The Army facilitated their burial in coordination with the Mapanas local government, saying the move was in line with its adherence to human rights and International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
“Even as we seek justice for victims of insurgency, we remain committed to human dignity,” Orio said, while denouncing the EVRPC’s “deceptive ideologies” that continue to prey on vulnerable communities.
The 8ID reiterated its appeal for the remaining members of the communist members to lay down their arms and take advantage of the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and the National Amnesty Program, both of which offer financial, livelihood, and reintegration support to former rebels.
“The 8ID will not relent until the remaining armed elements either surrender or face the consequences of armed conflict,” Orio stressed.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
