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Over 2,000 communist rebels surrendered, while 158 were killed last year during military operations, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said Wednesday.

In a press briefing, Padilla said that from January 1 to December 26, 2024, the AFP neutralized 2,760 members of communist groups.

Of this number, 2,444 surrendered, 158 were apprehended, and 158 were killed.

“As an assessment, the communist terrorist group continues to decline due to intensified intelligence-driven operations and strengthened interagency collaborations,” Padilla said.

The Philippines has been battling the communist insurgency for at least 50 years.

Padilla said 311 firearms were seized or surrendered, 429 anti-personnel mines were gained, and 244 encampments were broken up.

She added that in the same period, troops had also neutralized 302 members from local terrorist groups, of which 238 surrendered, 12 were apprehended, and 52 were killed.

She also said 296 firearms firearms were surrendered or seized from local terrorist groups, 49 anti-personnel mines were gained, and 14 encampments were seized. Jaspearl Tan/DMS