The Department of the Interior and Local Government said 1,546 local government units across the country have declared the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) as persona non grata.
Out of the 1,715 LGUs, DILG Sec. Eduardo M. Año said that 1,546 – 64 provinces, 110 cities, and 1,372 municipalities – have passed resolutions declaring them uwanted.
The 169 LGUs are in various stages of deliberation in their provincial, city, and municipal councils.
Also, 12,474 barangays nationwide have declared the CPP-NPA-NDF as persona non grata.
Año lauded the LGUs for “stepping up, helping the national government, and letting themselves be counted among the growing number of local governments that want the reign of terror of the CTGs in the countryside to end after more than 50 years.”
“Much like the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic, we need to finally end this very old problem using a whole-of-nation approach, and the support from our LGUs gives us great assurance that we are not alone in this war against these atheists, Maoists terrorists,” he said.
Año considers the support of LGUs as a turning point in the battle against the communist-terrorist because the government has since shifted from the military-centric approach but is now (implementing) the whole-of-society approach where government agencies and LGUs including the private sector work together to bring peace to the countryside.
He said that the support from the LGUs is timely especially as the country faces the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, wherein more people in far-flung communities are more vulnerable to recruitment by the CPP-NPA-NDF.
Based on DILG records, among the 17 regions nationwide, six regions have reached a 100 percent declaration of persona non grata to the CPP-NPA-NDF, namely Central Luzon, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Mimaropa, and the Cordillera.
Four regions are nearing absolute declaration of persona non grata, with Ilocos Region at 99 percent declaration, Cagayan Valley at 98 percent, Northern Mindanao at 95 percent, and Calabarzon at 94 percent.
In the National Capital Region, out of the 16 cities and one municipality, nine cities have passed resolutions condemning the atrocities of these groups and declaring CPP-NPA-NDF as persona non grata, namely Caloocan, Las Piñas, Mandaluyong, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Pasig, Quezon, San Juan, and Valenzuela.
Año said that the DILG is positive that the number of LGUs declaring CPP-NPA-NDF as persona non grata will continue to rise next year.
“The DILG is looking forward to seeing more LGUs join us in this fight against terrorism. We cannot allow these groups to continue killing people, the time has come to finally put an end to their wicked ways,” he said. – DILG release
