‘Kadagiti kakabsat nga nabatbati pay ti kabakiran ti Abra, Kalinga ken Apayao, nakalukat latta ti ruwangan ti kapya’ - 501st IB Commander Brig. Gen. Mamaril

Tabuk City, Kalinga – As the number of New People’s Army (NPA) members in the Cordillera continues to decline, the 501st Infantry Brigade renewed its call for the remaining rebels to surrender, emphasizing that opportunities for peace and reintegration remain available.

During a press conference held on March 13, 501st Infantry Brigade Commander Brig. Gen. Dean Mark Mamaril highlighted a recent successful operation that resulted in the arrest of ten NPA members who fled Kalinga to avoid detection following clashes in Pinukpuk in November 2025.

The rebels were eventually apprehended through coordinated police and military operations in Quezon and Tarlac City on March 11, 2026. Authorities later identified them as members of the Ilocos-Cordillera Regional Committee (ICRC), including five reportedly high-ranking officials.

Mamaril said the arrests significantly weakened the group’s remaining forces and underscored the effectiveness of sustained monitoring and inter-agency coordination. He reiterated the government’s appeal to remaining members of the communist terrorist group, particularly those still hiding in the mountainous areas of Abra, Kalinga, and Apayao.

“…kadagiti kakabsat mi nga naibati pay iti bantay ken kabakiran ti Abra, Kalinga ken Apayao, nakalukat latta ti ruangan ti kapia. Saan nga nalpas ti gundaway yo nga agsubli iti natalna ken marangal nga biag. Agyaman kayo nga ibaba dagiti armas yo ken agsubli kayo iti dalan ti linteg. Adda ti gobyerno nga nakasagana nga tumulong kadakayo babaen ti amnesty ken reintegration, tapno makasubli kayo iti pamilya yo ken makipagbiag manen iti komunidad yo nga awan ti buteng ken riri,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a separate operation, two high-ranking members of the CTG under the ICRC voluntarily surrendered to government forces in Tabuk City, expressing their intention to avail themselves of the government’s amnesty program.

The development underscores the continuing impact of government initiatives for peace and reintegration in the region.

The commander concluded that the continued decline in NPA presence in the Cordillera reflects the combined efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), local government units (LGUs), and community members working together to achieve lasting peace.