BAGUIO CITY — The military might not be able
to achieve its self-imposed target to neutralize 17 guerrilla
fronts of the New People’s Army during the first quarter of the
year, AFP chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said here Tuesday.
Esperon said the military might be able to
dismantle only 14 or 15 guerrilla fronts. He did not say why
they could not meet the target which he set before he got a
three-month term extension last month.
"We could probably hit lower than that
(targeted 17 guerrilla fronts), probably 14 or 15. Just the
same, if you reckon that, compare that with 2007, we dismantled
13 last 2007 and said that others were in advanced stage of
degradation," said Esperon.
In Northern Luzon, he said three of four NPA
fronts being targeted have been dismantled.
Military officials said the communists had 87
guerrilla fronts as of end 2007.
Latest military estimates indicated the NPA
has less than 6,000 members also as of end 2007.
Peace talks between government and the communists, which
started in the late 80s, last bogged down in 2004 when the US
classified the NPA and the Communist Party of the Philippines as
foreign terrorist organizations. — Victor Reyes
