THE top official of the Army's 4th Infantry Division (4ID) on Wednesday, September 28, said that the New People's Army (NPA) is bound to collapse in Northern Mindanao and Caraga region, following the recent death and surrender of its leaders.

"The Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) operating in Northern Mindanao and Caraga region is now bound for its eventual collapse," 4ID commander Major General Wilbur Mamawag said.

Last week, a total of 17 former rebels turned themselves in to the 75th Infantry Battalion and 26th Infantry Battalion, and surrendered their firearms.

The military said this accomplishment manifests the looming end of the longest-running insurgency in Asia that is operating under the 4ID's area of responsibility.

"With 40 CTG key leaders neutralized resulting in 35 firearms recovered from September until the present, what we are dealing with right now are the remnants of the weakened CTGs who persist in threatening far-flung communities,"Mamawag said.

Mamawag reiterated his call for peace and urged those who remained in the armed conflict to return to the folds of the law.

"The Joint Task Force Diamond that I lead is on the last stretch of our campaign to finally end the local communist armed conflict in these two regions. At the rate we are going, it seems that our dream to have insurgency-free communities will not be far-fetched,"he added.