The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday vowed to undertake measures to protect members of the Judiciary against threats, intimidation and crimes, including criminal acts perpetrated through the Internet and social media platforms.
The statement was issued by the PNP, through Brig. Gen. Roderick Augustus Balba, its public information office chief, in the wake of alleged threats issued by former undersecretary and National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson Lorraine Badoy against a Manila judge who threw out the case proscribing the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army as terrorist groups.
Lawyers and judges previously assailed the threats while the Supreme Court has warned Badoy of contempt.
The PNP acknowledged the independence of the judiciary as a “distinct” branch of the government and it said it values its key role in a democracy in protecting “fundamental rights, settling disputes and administering justice, among others.”
“We, therefore, assure the Supreme Court and the public that the PNP will always be on the side of the law and ensure the safety and security of the honorable members of the court to enable them to promulgate decisions without fear of reprisal or retribution,” the PNP said.
‘Strategic victory’ vs Reds
Meanwhile, the Department of National Defense (DND) said that only five guerrilla fronts of the NPA have remained and are operating in the country as it declared “strategic victory” in the military’s campaign against communist rebels.
DND Officer in Charge Jose Faustino Jr. said more than 75 percent of the rebel guerrilla fronts that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) dealt with across the country have been dismantled.
“Out of 89 in July 2016, there are only five active guerrilla fronts remaining,” Faustino said.
“The capabilities of the CTG [communist terrorist group] and LTGs [local terrorist groups] have been significantly diminished over the last few years. The concerted efforts of the security sector have drawn us even closer to the end of the armed conflict with the inevitable collapse of these armed groups,” he added.
During his term, former President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the military to finish off the NPA until June this year or the end of his administration. The administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. had since taken over with the soldiers in the counter insurgency campaign.
The DND said that as of September 20, 2022, a total of 2,890 conflict-affected barangays have been cleared from rebel influence through the AFP’s Development Support and Security Plan “Kapayapaan” and the DND’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program.
It also said that from July 2016 to September 26, 2022, the military also recorded a total of 10,608 regular NPA members neutralized and more than 41,000 underground members, mass supporters and sympathizers who withdrew their support from the CPP-NPA, as well as the National Democratic Front.
“In addition, a total of 4,644 LTG members were neutralized during the period. Likewise, a total of 1,386 cities/municipalities and 31,254 barangays nationwide declared the CPP-NPA as persona non grata, indicating a widespread loss of support for the CTGs,” Faustino said.
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