Communist Insurgency in the Philippines (catch all)

[Dayuhan]

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/588186/...aders-captured

Benito Tiamzon, the head of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), and six other members of the CPP central committee were arrested on Saturday in Carcar City, south of Cebu City.

That's pretty much the entire core leadership taken in one operation.

It will be interesting to see what impact this has on the ongoing conflict. I would expect an acceleration of the existing trend toward decentralization, with NPA units in different regions operating autonomously. There may also be some conflict over filling those spaces: there will still be national leadership, though it may be increasingly nominal.

Overall, though, I have to hold to my view that a long term solution to Communist insurgency has to match a focus on degrading the insurgents with a focus on bringing the rural oligarchs who nurture insurgency within the rule of law.

[Dayuhan]

This story broke today:

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/8...s-now-with-npa

The Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said Thursday it is set to file criminal and administrative charges against five senior police officers over the disappearance of more than a thousand assault rifles, most of which reportedly have ended up in the hands of communist rebels in Mindanao...

... The officers reportedly approved the sale by importer Twin Pines Inc. of 1,004 M16 and AK-47 rifles, as well as gun parts, ammunition and accessories, to JTC Mineral Mining Corp. in the Caraga region.

The weapons were supposedly to be used by the mining firm’s security force.

However, a nationwide gun check last year discovered that the weapons were missing from JTC’s inventory and had supposedly been delivered to the New People’s Army.

This sort of thing has gone on a long time, but this is the first time I can recall actual charges being filed. If they are actually prosecuted, let along convicted, it will be quite unprecedented. I wonder if it's true that, as the article claims, Presidential intervention was required to actually get an investigation...