Dela Rosa: Insurgency problem gone by the end of Duterte's term with Barangay Dev't Program in place

SENATOR Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa shared that the communist insurgency problem of the country will be resolved before President Rodrigo Roa Duterte finishes his term next year.

Dela Rosa expressed his optimism on Tuesday during the Senate plenary deliberation on the proposed P232.082 billion budget of the Department of National Defense (DND) and its attached agencies under the Finance Committee Report of the General Appropriations Bill, or House Bill 10153, which sought a total of P5.024-trillion national budget for 2022.

The proposed DND budget was deemed submitted after hours of deliberation.

"With the rate that we are now going, the accomplishments are very indicative of the finishing of this [insurgency] problem by the end of President Duterte's term. Lalung-lalo na...kung 'yung Barangay Development Program ay talagang magtuluy-tuloy dahil dito nakikita nila na talagang napakaganda noong nangyayari at 'yung mga tao mismo ang nag a-appreciate," Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa, Chairman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee C, which had scrutinized the DND budget, disclosed that it was no less than newly installed AFP Chief of Staff Lt Gen Andres Centino who assured him that the communist problem will be over by the time President Duterte's term ends next year.

The Mindanaoan Senator said that the communist insurgency has now been confined in Samar area under the leadership of the Tiamzon couple, noting that the top NPA leader in Mindanao, Jorge "Ka Oris" Madlos, is already dead and there are no more NPA leaders in Region 2, or the Cagayan Valley area.

"It's worth noting that during the previous years, we were able to dismantle only three to five guerilla fronts per year. But compared to this year, 20 po...So napakalaki po ang accomplishment for this year when it comes to dismantling of guerilla fronts," Dela Rosa said.

The former police chief said that based on the NPA doctrine, one guerilla front is composed of at least 3 platoons with 100 armed combatants combined, and there were 70 guerilla fronts during the beginning of the current administration's term in 2016.

"There were 70 guerilla fronts. But now, we only have remaining 43 guerilla fronts. And 11 of them are weakened...[meaning,] not only the military but also the political structure, were really very much degraded."

Senator Panfilo Lacson, Chairman of the Senate defense committee, asked, "So when you say greatly weakened 'yung kanilang 11 guerilla fronts, how many warm bodies are left in each guerilla front? From 3 platoons, ilan na lang 'yung strength?"

Dela Rosa responded, "Around 10 to 20 armed combatants, Mr. President. So greatly diminished from 100, 10 to 20 nalang ang naiwan."

"Ang ating analysis dito, unti-unting bumagsak ang mga guerilla fronts na ito because of the implementation of the Barangay Development Programs," Dela Rosa said further.