“The role of stakeholders is indispensable in defeating the CPP-NPA. Their invaluable support and services contributed to the 53IB’s mission in keeping the province safe from the threat of the communist terrorists.“
— Gen. Hermogenes C. Esperon (Ret.)
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s implementation of Executive Order 70 has launched a Whole-of-Nation Approach that signifies his political determination and strong leadership to finally end the local communist armed conflict before his term ends. For more than 53 years, the treacherous Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), a terrorist organization declared by the international communities that has been oppressing the country, continues to wreak havoc on our people: they mercilessly kill innocent civilians, destroy the lives of our youth through systematic deception and recruitment to false cause, and hamper progress and development by destroying infrastructure and heavy equipment intended to secure and bring government services to the people. The CPP-NPA’s time is numbered; they are on the brink of collapse.
“Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” This adage cannot be further from the truth in dealing with the CPP-NPA. Insurgency is a war of interdependence that requires a Whole-of-Nation Approach, a comprehensive program that involves the citizenry and the whole national instruments of coherent governance. The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) formed a convergence of the national government, local government units, and the private sector and people’s organizations. These all-inclusive efforts proved to be effective in the province of Zamboanga del Sur.
“TUG OF WAR: Victory in Time of Convergence” showcases how the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) played a crucial role in finally ending the local communist armed conflict in the province, and how it paved the way for the declaration of Zamboanga del Sur as an insurgency-free and development-ready province. This book brilliantly features the 53rd Infantry “MATAPAT” Battalion’s strategy, programs, and best practices as well as the lessons learned in leadership and tactics. The role of stakeholders is indispensable in defeating the CPP-NPA groups. Their invaluable support and services contributed to the 53IB’s mission in keeping the province safe from the threat of CPP-NPA. This book appreciates the convergence and collaboration between 53IB and stakeholders, detailing actual accounts that lead to victory.
The chapters of this book immortalize the passion and determination of the 53IB troops in the conduct of army operations and stakeholder engagements in winning the peace. The lessons learned are amplified to provide inspiration and framework on how other units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and provincial task forces including local government units would deal with the duplicitous nature of the CPP-NPA.
Good governance, firm political will, and cooperation of communities supplemented the 53IB’s tactical gains in obliterating the CPP-NPA. This victory concretized the objectives of the NTF-ELCAC of its mandate to end insurgency in our country. Such achievements invigorated the spirit of nationalism among stakeholders in pursuing its mandate of serving the people. If Zamboanga del Sur was able to defeat the enemies, other provinces in the entire country could achieve the same feat.
The victory of Zamboanga del Sur is the victory of the Filipino people. It is high time to put an end to this five-decade-long terrorism and insurgency which only bring hardships and adversities to our people. Through this book, we hope to inspire the Filipino people, the officer corps of the AFP, emerging leaders in the government, the communities, and the youth sector.
SEC. HERMOGENES C ESPERON, JR
National Security Adviser,
Vice-Chair, National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict
and Vice-Chair, Anti-Terrorism Council
