THE EASTERN Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) announced Wednesday its goal to completely dismantle the remaining nine vertical units of the New People’s Army (NPA) operating within its area of responsibility and declare the area under the 4th Infantry Division (4ID) as insurgency-free by the end of the third quarter of this year.
During a Peace and Security briefing held on May 21 at The Royal Mandaya Hotel, EastMinCom spokesperson Lt. Col. Salvacion Evangelista told reporters that while Davao Region remains insurgency-free, efforts are intensifying in Northeastern Mindanao and Central Mindanao, particularly within the 4ID’s jurisdiction.
Evangelista noted that there are currently 24 identified NPA individuals in the area of the 10th Infantry Division (10ID) and 159 individuals under the 4ID.
“But then again, just what I’ve said, there are only a few, so before the end of the third quarter, we will declare [an] insurgency-free the area of the 4th Infantry Division,” she affirmed.
She elaborated on the timeline, stating, “For the areas of the 4th Infantry Division in Northeastern Mindanao and Central Mindanao, we have [a] timeline that hopefully by [the] third quarter, as we shift to external defense operation, so the remaining 9 vertical units of the New People’s Army (NPA) under 4ID and 1 in 10ID hopefully will end the internal security operations by the end of [the] third quarter.”
These efforts are focused on areas like Agusan, Surigao, and more broadly, the Caraga Region.
Lt. Col. Evangelista expressed confidence in achieving this target. “Yes, it’s attainable. Just last week, we had our review and assessment in our campaign; we have seen that we have successful operations conducted,” she stated.
When asked about the persistent challenges in the 4th ID’s area, Evangelista highlighted the critical role of local cooperation.
“Cooperation of the local government units is a big factor, even the people. That is what we can see if that is how the LGUs are participative, we can easily achieve,” she explained, emphasizing the importance of strong community and local government support in their operations.
For now, EastMinCom remains on full alert. “We continuously conduct focused military operations and sustainable operations in respective barangays in joint operational areas,” Evangelista added.
She also confirmed that EastMinCom has not monitored any specific threats within its overall area of responsibility.
