THE Police Regional Office 12 (PRO12) headed by Brigadier General Jimili L. Macaraeg has scored significant accomplishments in its counter-insurgency drive particularly in convincing members of the New People’s Army (NPA) to surrender under the government continuing effort to end local armed conflict, the Journal Group learned yesterday.

PRO12 records showed that from August 8 to last November 10 alone, the PRO12 launched operations which resulted in the surrender of 122 NPA members and supporters in SOCCSKSARGEN region.

The regional police force likewise accounted for 52 firearms and 29 explosives used by the local guerrilla movement during the period.

PRO12 has jurisdiction over South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and General Santos City.

Brig. Gen. Macaraeg said during the period, they conducted operations which also led to the arrest of seven NPA members—four apprehended by the Cotabato Police Provincial Office and three by the Sarangani PPO.

An armed NPA rebel was also killed in a gunbattle with policemen in Sarangani during the period, he said.

The PRO12 accomplishments were lauded by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. who has ordered a stepped-up PNP legal offensive against the CPP/NPA.

From August 3 to last November 3, the top cop said a total of 133 wanted Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army (CPP/NPA) officials and members have been arrested and jailed by PNP operatives.

Gen. Azurin said the two-month period saw the PRO11 n Southern Mindanao headed by Brig. Gen. Benjamin H. Silo Jr. making the biggest number of arrest with 39 followed by the PRO13 in Caraga region formerly headed by Brig. Gen. Romeo M. Caramat Jr. and now Brig. Gen. Pablo G. Labra II with 20; and the PRO8 in Eastern Visayas under Brig. Gen. Rommel Francisco D. Marbil and the PRO10 in Northern Mindanao under Brig. Gen. Lawrence B. Coop with 9 each.

The other arrests as a result of the PNP’s intensified legal offensive versus the CPP/NPA during the period were made by the PRO6 in Western Visayas headed by Brig. Gen. Leo M. Francisco with 7; the PRO2 in Cagayan Valley under Brig. Gen. Steve B. Ludan with 6; and the PRO1 in Ilocos-Pangasinan region formerly headed by Brig. Gen. Belli B. Tamayo and now by Brig. Gen. John C. Chua with 4.

The PRO3 in Central Luzon under Brig. Gen. Cesar DR Pasiwen and the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) in Metro Manila headed by Brig. Gen. Jonnel C. Estomo each made two arrests.

The PRO4-B in Mimaropa headed by Brig. Gen. Sydney S. Hernia; the PRO5 in Bicol region under Brig. Gen. Rudolph B. Dimas; and the Cordillera Police Regional Office headed by Brig. Gen. Mafelino A. Bazar each accounted for one CPP/NPA personality during the period.

Gen. Azurin described the arrest of the 103 rebel personalities as another breakthrough accomplishment by the police force in its effort to track down wanted members of the rebel movement.

“This will be a stern warning to all the leaders and members of terrorists’ group who are still at large, the PNP will not stop to hunt all of you down and give justice to all your victims,” the PNP chief said.

“This is evidently another significant accomplishment of the PNP against terrorist groups. Ipagpatuloy natin ang masigasig na pagpapatupad ng ating mga programa at polisiya na naglalayong paigtingin ang pagsugpo sa kriminalidad,” he added.

PRO7 director, Brig. Gen. Roderick Augustus B. Alba also said that from August 3 to last November 3, his men accounted for two CPP/NPA personalities included in the Periodic Status Report of the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

One of the two identified as ranking NPA leader Greg Cantilla was killed in an encounter with members of the Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion and the local police last September 7 in Sitio Manlibod in Barangay Trinidad, Guilhungan City, Negros Oriental.

The 2nd identified as Elizer Samorano Nabas was arrested by police and military intelligence agents inside the Bohol provincial capitol in Tagbilaran City last October 27.

Known for his rebel aliases ‘Yocyoc/Kepli/Jinggoy/Nonoy/Bernie,’ the 46-year-old farmer-member of the CPP/NPA’s Bohol Regional Party Committee is included in the watch list of the police and the military.

Brig. Gen. Alba said that during the same period, three NPA members were arrested, two died in gunfights with security troops while 17 surrendered .

Gen. Azurin has also ordered the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group headed by Brig. Gen. Ronald O. Lee to further intensify its legal offensive versus the CPP/NPA by launching an all-out effort to arrest its members who have committed a series of atrocities in the countryside.

The top cop said he wants the PNP-CIDG to continue to press police operations to account for members of the CPP/NPA and their affiliates who are already the subject of warrants of arrest issued by judicial authorities for crimes against the people.

Gen. Azurin maintained that the PNP’s legal offensive action against the CPP-NPA will continue with renewed vigor, particularly against its key personalities who are wanted by the law to stand trial for their crime before the justice system.

In line with the PNP chief’s instruction, the PNP-CIDG last month filed three separate criminal charges for violation of Republic Act 9851 or The Philippine Act on Crimes against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and other Crimes Against Humanity against three groups of NPA rebels.

The PNP-CIDG also named in their criminal suits as ‘principals by indirect participation and inducement and command responsibility’ self-exiled CPP chairman Jose Ma. Sison, Luis Jalandoni and members of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines negotiating panel Maria Concepcion Araneta Bocala alias ‘Concha Araneta Bocala/Concha Araneta’ and Porferio Tuna Jr.

Also charged before the office of San Jose, Antique Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Jehiel Cusa were 27 suspected members of the CPP/NPA Guerrilla Front 11’s Napoleon Tumagtang Command operating in Panay.

The cases stemmed from an NPA attack on June 2, 2018 along the national highway in Barangay Fabrica in Hamtic, Antique where suspected rebels used a gas torch and sacks of rice to burn a heavy equipment worth P3.7 million.