Army Scout Rangers told: Terminate NPA’s existence, prepare shift to external defense

ARMED Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. ordered the Army’s Scout Rangers to terminate the communist-led insurgency in the country in preparation for the military’s transition from local to territorial defense posture.

The chief of staff gave his directive during the installation on Wednesday of Col. Isagani Criste as the new commander of the First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR) wherein he succeeded Major Gen. Freddie Dela Cruz, who was named the commander of the Special

Operations Command (SOCOM).

Criste, member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1994, served as deputy commander of the FSRR for nearly two years before he took over the reins of command, and has held other positions, including as a battalion commander.

Brawner reiterated to the FSRR the urgency of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order to the military to end the insurgency within this year so that the soldiers could fully focus on territorial defense.

“We’ve been given an urgent mission to defeat the horizontal and vertical units of the CTG [communist terrorist group] this year.

This is a tall task for all of us because they are much harder to find as their numbers go small,” the chief of staff pointed out.

“But let us give our everything and our best so we will be able to accomplish this task,” he added.

The military, in its previous report, said the New People’s Army, with 1, 800 members, is still present or exerts influence in 200 barangays across the country. During the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte, the former Commanderin-Chief ordered the military to end the NPA within his six-year presidency. While the objective was not met, the soldiers, however, managed to pull down the rebel membership to its current number.

Brawner said the internal security operations against the rebels should end this year as the AFP plans to go “full blast” in its effort to transition to territorial defense next year.

The chief of staff said every Scout Ranger, with his specialized skills in tracking adversaries, would be vital in achieving a complete victory against the rebels.

“As one of the AFP’s elite and hard-hitting forces against various threat groups, the FSRR has proven its indispensable position as a cutting-edge unit of the AFP as we fulfill our mandate of protecting the people and securing the country,” Brawner said.

One of the units of the FSRR, the 4th

Scout Ranger Battalion has been deployed to Northern Samar to help in dismantling the last active guerilla front of the New People’s Army (NPA).

Brawner said the help and support of the FSRR have been vital in the demise of several high-value NPA leaders during the last two years, including Jorge Madlos and Menandro Villanueva.

Brawner was the commander of the 4th Infantry Division that led the operation that terminated Madlos. Rene Acosta

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday reported an initial P53.1 million worth of farm damage following typhoon “Egay’s” onslaught.

In its latest bulletin, the DA said the amount of damage was recorded in four regions.

“Based on the assessment of DA Regional Field Offices [RFOs] in CAR [Cordillera Administrative Region], Calabarzon and Mimaropa and Region XIII [Caraga], damage and losses have been reported amounting to PHP53.1 million affecting 2,303 farmers, with volume of production loss at 1,871 metric tons [MT] and 3,185 hectares of agricultural areas,” it said.

“Affected commodities include rice, corn, livestock and poultry. These values are subject to validation,” the report added.

Most of the damage and losses were incurred at seedling, newly planted, and vegetative stages of rice,” the DA report added.

“The DA, through its RFOs, is monitoring the effects of supertyphoon Egay and conducting an assessment of damage and losses brought in the agriculture and fisheries sector,” it said.

Moreover, the DA is also coordinating with concerned government agencies, local governments and other disaster response offices on available resources for assistance in response to the typhoon’s impact.

The following forms of assistance are available for distribution to affected farmers and fishers: rice, corn and assorted vegetable seeds; drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry; fingerlings assistance to affected fisherfolk from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR); Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) with loanable amount of up to P25,000 payable in three years at zero interest; and Quick Response Fund (QRF) for the rehabilitation of affected areas.

Mor eover, on its Thursday’s weather forecast, Pagasa said that Egay continues