THE Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) has reported significant progress in its intensified counter-insurgency operations, with nearly 600 members of the New People’s Army (NPA) either killed, captured, or having surrendered since the start of 2025.
In a Davao Peace and Security briefing held on June 25 at The Royal Mandaya Hotel, EastMinCom spokesperson Lt. Col. Salvacion Evangelista confirmed that the Davao Region remains officially insurgency-free, with current military operations now focused on areas outside the region, particularly in parts of Northern Mindanao and the Caraga Region.
From January 1 to present, EastMinCom recorded a total of 542 NPA members neutralized—either killed in combat, captured, or who voluntarily surrendered. In the same period, 254 firearms were also either recovered or surrendered to government forces.
Evangelista emphasized the importance of local government support in sustaining gains against insurgency. Since 2016, a total of 3,934 former rebels have benefited from the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP)—a national reintegration program that provides assistance to former insurgents as they return to civilian life.
One of the notable accomplishments this year was the arrest of a group known as the “Agusan 8”, long sought by authorities. Evangelista described this as a breakthrough, sharing that the apprehension enabled the individuals to reconnect with family members who had been searching for them for nearly a decade.
Currently, only nine NPA “vertical units”—armed guerrilla formations—remain operational in EastMinCom’s area of responsibility. With the recent apprehension of eight individuals in the jurisdiction of the 10th Infantry Division (10ID), this number is expected to drop to eight, all now under the operational control of the 4th Infantry Division (4ID).
Evangelista identified the remaining NPA-affected areas as parts of Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte, and Surigao del Norte. Among the hotspots are Sibagat, Prosperidad, Cabadbaran City, Butuan City, Cabungsuan, Lianga, San Agustin, Placer, Impasug-ong, Malitbog, and Cabanglasan, where recent clashes have occurred as military units continue clearing operations.
She expressed confidence that remaining NPA forces, mainly from the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) and the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC), would be neutralized before the end of the third quarter of 2025.
Once this objective is achieved, EastMinCom plans to shift its focus from internal to external defense operations, in line with evolving national security priorities. DEF