The Philippines is currently undergoing a People’s War, which has been going on since 1969 and is led by the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). In an attempt to “cleanse” areas of NPA influence, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are putting increasing pressure on the Red fighters, by consolidating their presence in areas under their control and making more and more frequent incursions into areas controlled by the NPA. All of this implies an increasing oppression of the people, through harassment, bombing of populated areas, fake skirmishes with NPA fighters and the like.
Skirmishes
Since the last report, there have been more skirmishes.
On 14 May, the NPA ambushed the 3rd Infantry Battalion of the AFP in Western Samar. One officer was killed in the ambush, while one soldier was wounded.
While one of the NPA units was in the Masbate area, in order to hold consultations with the local residents, regarding their situation and the problems they are facing, there was a clash with the AFP soldiers. The skirmish took place on 23 May, and 5 AFP soldiers were killed in it, while the NPA did not suffer any casualties and retreated safely.
Another skirmish took place in western Samar on 9 June, when NPA fighters opened fire on soldiers of the 87th Infantry Brigade of the AFP. In the skirmish, first a cadet officer was killed by sniper fire, and then several soldiers were wounded when other fighters also shot at members of the AFP.
Retaliation
Until now, retaliation against the local population, after clashes with the Red guerrillas, have become a common practice in the ranks of the AFP. Very often after a clash with the NPA, and sometimes without a special reason, AFP soldiers shell the areas where the clash took place. This serves both as a way of venting frustration, due to the inability to defeat the red fighters, and as one of the ways to instill fear in the population that supports the guerrillas.
In addition, the AFP often use the already mentioned fake skirmishes, in which they kill civilians and present them as killed NPA fighters. The tactic of fake skirmishes is a tactic used by the armed forces of all oppressive states, in which there is a guerrilla movement. This tactic is used to demoralize the guerrillas and those who support them, but also as a warning to the civilians who support them that they too may be victims of the next fake skirmish.
