The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the New People's Army (NPA), and the History of the Insurgency

As of 2026-08-30 · Updated 2026-08-30 · Section: Politics, Governance & Judiciary · 日本語版

0. Five Key Points Up Front

1. Prehistory — The PKP, Hukbalahap, and the HMB (1930–1968)

1.1 Founding of the PKP (1930)

The CPP's own re-establishment document, Rectify Errors, Rebuild the Party! (approved at the Congress of Re-Establishment, December 26, 1968), records its own prehistory this way.

"on November 7, 1930, the Communist Party of the Philippines was founded in Manila" (Source: CPP, Rectify Errors, Rebuild the Party!, December 26, 1968, Chapter III)

The CPP itself sums up that being "urban-centered, public, and parliamentarian" invited "political disaster."

1.2 Merger with the Socialist Party (1938)

• On November 7, 1938, the PKP merged with the Socialist Party led by Pedro Abad Santos. CPUSA (US Communist Party) representative James Allen mediated (source: CPP re-establishment document, 1968).
• Leadership of the merged organization: Chairman Evangelista / Vice Chairman Abad Santos / Secretary-General Guillermo Capadocia. The behind-the-scenes secondary leader was Vicente Lava.

1.3 The Hukbalahap (1942–1945)

注 The Hukbalahap was less the Communist Party's own army than "a broad anti-Japanese guerrilla coalition led by the Communist Party." It was a separate lineage from the US-affiliated guerrillas (the USAFFE line), and its postwar treatment as "irregulars" became the direct spark for the postwar insurgency.

1.4 The Postwar HMB (People's Liberation Army) and Magsaysay

The counterinsurgency campaign was led by then-Defense Secretary, later President, Ramon Magsaysay, in what is regarded as a classic model combining "military suppression + resettlement of surrendered fighters (EDCOR) + cleaner elections." 注 However, this article could not reach primary statistics on the scale and results of the EDCOR resettlement (注 primary source not reached).

1.5 The Anti-Subversion Act (RA 1700, 1957)

Repeal: RA 7636 (approved September 24, 1992) fully repealed RA 1700 (which had been revived by EO 167 and amended by EO 276). 注 Consequently, since 1992, "being a member of the Communist Party" is not, by itself, a crime. This is the single point most often confused with the later terrorist-organization designation discussed below.

2. December 26, 1968 — The CPP's Re-Establishment and the Three-Tier Structure

2.1 The Congress of Re-Establishment and the Maoist Line

The Congress of Re-Establishment was held on December 26, 1968 (Mao Zedong's birthday) and approved two documents.

The heading of Chapter I is "MAO TSETUNG THOUGHT IS OUR GUIDE TO SELF-CRITICISM AND PARTY REBUILDING." It opens by declaring:

"Mao Tsetung Thought is the highest development of Marxism-Leninism in the present world era"

(original text confirmed). This marks the decisive break from the old (Soviet-aligned) PKP.

2.2 Jose Maria Sison (1939–2022)

注 Sison signed documents as CPP Chairman "Armando Liwanag" as far back as 1992, but the CPP has never officially confirmed the two are the same person. Stating flatly that "Sison = Liwanag" should be avoided.

2.3 Founding of the NPA (March 29, 1969)

2.4 The NDF/NDFP (April 24, 1973) and the Three-Tier Structure

This three-tier structure is what makes peace negotiations complicated. The NDFP sits at the negotiating table, the NPA is the one that can implement a ceasefire, and the CPP Central Committee is the one that sets the line.

3. Expansion Under Martial Law, the 1980s Peak, and Internal Purges

3.1 Expansion

• Marcos's September 1972 declaration of martial law (Proclamation 1081) closed off the space for legal left-wing activity, pushing a mass of students and intellectuals underground and into the mountains. As a result, the NPA expanded rapidly.
• After the People Power Revolution of February 1986, the Corazon Aquino administration released political prisoners, Sison among them (US Library of Congress, Philippines: A Country Study).

3.2 Peak Strength

注 "25,000" is an estimate, not a confirmed figure. Depending on the year and source, figures circulating range from 20,000 to 26,000. When citing this number, always qualify it as "the peak estimate of the 1980s."

3.3 Internal Purges — the "Anti-Spy Operations" of the Mid-1980s

In the mid-1980s, the CPP/NPA carried out large-scale internal witch-hunts and executions out of suspicion that spies had infiltrated its ranks. The most commonly named examples are Kampanyang Ahos (from 1985) in Mindanao, Oplan Missing Link (1988) in Southern Tagalog, and Kampanyang Olympia in Manila-Rizal.

The CPP's own primary-source acknowledgment (important):

"…finally a wild surge of panic like the anti-informer hysteria." "This erroneous current of thought and action has brought about the gravest setbacks and destruction to the Party and the revolutionary movement, first in one major island and subsequently on a nationwide scale." "…which started to become clear in 1984 and extremely devastating from 1985 onward in one major island."

Source: Armando Liwanag (Chairman, CPP Central Committee), Reaffirm Our Basic Principles and Carry the Revolution Forward, December 26, 1991 (the CPP's 23rd-anniversary statement) original text confirmed

In other words, the fact that a purge (a "hysteria of hunting for informers") took place, and that it caused "the gravest setbacks and destruction" to the party, has been acknowledged by the CPP itself in an official document. "One major island" refers contextually to Mindanao.

注 Primary source not reached: A definitive primary source giving the names or number of victims could not be reached for this article. The figure "9,000" is cited as a claim of a government agency and must not be treated as a confirmed figure. Estimates by researchers and victims' groups tend to be an order of magnitude lower.

4. History of the Peace Negotiations (1986–)

4.1 Overall Picture

According to the official FAQ of the government's OPAPRU (Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity):

Since 1986, over 40 rounds of talks have been held under five successive government negotiating panels, and the process has been suspended more than 15 times. (Source: OPAPRU official website, "CPP-NPA-NDF FAQs")

4.2 Major Agreement Documents (signing dates confirmed against original texts)

There are four substantive agenda items: (1) human rights and international humanitarian law (signed as CARHRIHL); (2) socioeconomic reform (CASER); (3) political and constitutional reform; and (4) the cessation of hostilities and disposition of forces. 注 In the 40 years since negotiations began in 1986, only item ① has ever been signed. Items ② onward have never once reached agreement.

4.3 Negotiations and Breakdown Under Duterte (2016–2017)

The "Whereas" clauses of Proclamation 374 invoke the fact that the US designated the CPP-NPA a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) on August 9, 2002 (original text confirmed).

4.4 The November 2023 Oslo Joint Statement and Its Aftermath

注 Watch for date confusion: The signing date (November 23) differs from the publication date (November 28). Japanese-language sources often write "the joint statement of November 28," but OPAPRU's own article lists the signing date as November 23.

Subsequent developments

Conclusion as of August 2026: formal negotiations have not resumed. The government's real center of gravity has shifted to "localized peace engagement plus surrender/amnesty" under EO 70.

4.5 Amnesty

The content of No. 404 (confirmed against the original text): - Covered offenses: rebellion/insurrection, inciting to sedition, illegal assembly, and illegal possession of firearms, ammunition, and explosives for political purposes. - Excluded: terrorism, narcotics, kidnapping for ransom, rape, and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions. - Requirements: surrender, renunciation of rebel activity, and a sworn written admission of guilt. - Application period: two years from effectivity.

On April 27, 2026, President Marcos was reported to be considering extending the amnesty period (Inquirer.net). On August 1, 2026, it was reported that "safe passage has been granted to former NPA members whose amnesty applications are under review" (Inquirer.net).

5. Anti-Terrorism Law and Terrorist-Organization Designation — The Distinction Between "Designation" and "Proscription"

5.1 RA 11479 (the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020)

Approved on July 3, 2020. It repealed RA 9372 (the 2007 Human Security Act) (original text confirmed).

Designation (Section 25, executive) and proscription (Section 26, judicial) are distinct things. 注 Confusing the two is extremely common in Japanese-language writing on the subject.

5.2 The Constitutional Challenge

• Calleja v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 252578 (consolidated with 36 other petitions), decided December 7, 2021, ponente Justice Carandang.
• Conclusion: the law was ruled largely constitutional (Philippine News Agency, December 9, 2021, "Anti-terror law 'constitutional': Supreme Court"). A motion for reconsideration was definitively denied in April 2022.
• 注 Some provisions were held unconstitutional, but the original text of the dispositive portion (the "WHEREFORE" clause) of the decision could not be reached for this article, so the specific provisions struck down are not stated definitively (注 primary source not reached).

5.3 CPP/NPA's Designation, and the Court's Failed Proscription

The legal situation as of 2026 is therefore as follows: - Administrative designation (by the ATC) validly exists → it is the basis for asset freezing (AMLC) and prosecution for terrorism financing. - However, no judicial declaration that the CPP-NPA is an "outlawed organization" exists → following the 1992 repeal of RA 1700 by RA 7636, "being a member of the Communist Party" itself remains, to this day, not a crime. - 注 Writing "the Communist Party is illegal in the Philippines" while ignoring this two-tier structure is incorrect.

6. NTF-ELCAC and the Red-Tagging Controversy

6.1 EO 70 (December 4, 2018)

6.2 Budget

6.3 Red-Tagging Criticism

6.4 The Supreme Court's Red-Tagging Ruling (Deduro v. Vinoya)

注 Watch for a date mix-up: The decision date was July 4, 2023; it was reported on May 8, 2024. Japanese-language sources often write "the 2024 ruling," but the accurate description is "decided July 4, 2023, publicized May 8, 2024."

7. The Situation as of 2026

7.1 The Shifting Estimates of Strength and Guerrilla Fronts

VERA Files' fact-check (August 17, 2025) rated the "no more guerrilla groups" claim "FALSE (clearly incorrect)." Reasons: - 81 people identified as CPP-NPA members were killed across 18 provinces between January and July 2025. - Fighting also broke out in Masbate the day before the SONA, killing 8. - The military itself acknowledges "785–901 armed members." - 注 The definition of a "dismantled" front is "reduced to 8–10 members or fewer," which does not mean elimination. A standard guerrilla front numbers roughly 100.

7.2 2026 Figures to Date

注 "Neutralized" is a military term combining killed + arrested + surrendered + supporters, and it is not a death toll. Translating it as "wiped out" or "annihilated" in Japanese-language coverage misrepresents the reality.

A comparison against independent monitoring (the University of the Philippines' Third World Studies Center Dahas / Sandatahang Dahas project):

7.3 Major 2026 Incidents

7.4 The CPP's Own 2026 Self-Assessment (Primary Source)

As a summation of the "rectification movement" launched in December 2023, the CPP Central Committee has officially acknowledged its own weakening.

From the NPA's 56th-anniversary statement (March 29, 2025; original text confirmed):

"Much work has to be done to recover lost ground, revitalize the army and the mass base, and regain previous levels of strength." "…the mass base has tended to grow narrow and shallow." "This has resulted in the protracted people's war being stuck in the middle phase of the strategic defensive, for an extended period of time."

At the same time, it disputes the military's claims:

"Top officers of the AFP have made the preposterous claim that the NPA has only one 'weakened guerrilla front' left…"

Regarding the AFP's "Focused, Sustained, Military Operations (FSMO)" since 2017–18, it states that "one to several battalions have been deployed against each guerrilla front, mobilizing tens of thousands of combat troops," and that "in some fronts, FSMO has continued uninterrupted for 7 to 8 years."

The CPP's 57th-anniversary statement (December 26, 2025) says the rectification movement has "entered its third year," claiming the NPA has "recovered and rebuilt former bases and expanded into new areas."

Overall assessment: cross-checking the military's and the CPP's own accounts, the most reasonable synthesis as of 2026 is that the NPA has not been "wiped out," but at a scale of 1/25 or less of its 1980s peak, it remains in prolonged stagnation in the middle phase of the strategic defensive.

8. Differences from the Moro Insurgencies (MILF/MNLF/ASG/BIFF)

The biggest difference: because the Moro groups were negotiating over "territory and belonging," a constitutional local-government landing point (BARMM) could be designed. The CPP, by contrast, demands "a change in the character of the state itself," so there is structurally no ground the government can concede. This is the root cause behind "only item ① signed in 40 years and over 40 rounds of talks."

注 Japanese-language sources tend to lump these together as "the Philippines' anti-government forces," but the communist and Moro insurgencies differ completely in goal, legal status, and negotiating framework. Conflating them fundamentally distorts any analysis.

9. A Checklist of Common Errors (注)

10. Key Sources

Primary sources - Republic Act No. 1700 (Anti-Subversion Act, June 20, 1957) / LawPhil - Republic Act No. 7636 (repealing RA 1700, September 24, 1992) / LawPhil - Republic Act No. 11479 (Anti-Terrorism Act, July 3, 2020) / LawPhil - Republic Act No. 11054 (Bangsamoro Organic Law, 2018) / LawPhil - Executive Order No. 70, s. 2018 (December 4, 2018, establishing NTF-ELCAC) / LawPhil - Proclamation No. 360, s. 2017 (November 23, 2017, terminating peace negotiations) / LawPhil - Proclamation No. 374, s. 2017 (December 5, 2017, designating the CPP-NPA a terrorist organization) / LawPhil - Proclamation Nos. 403 and 404, s. 2023 (November 22, 2023, amnesty) / LawPhil - Calleja v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 252578 (December 7, 2021) / LawPhil - Deduro v. Vinoya, G.R. No. 254753 (July 4, 2023) / LawPhil - CPP, Rectify Errors, Rebuild the Party! (approved December 26, 1968 at the Congress of Re-Establishment) - CPP, Program for a People's Democratic Revolution (December 26, 1968) - Armando Liwanag, Reaffirm Our Basic Principles and Carry the Revolution Forward (December 26, 1991) - CPP Central Committee: NPA 56th-anniversary statement (March 29, 2025) / NPA 57th-anniversary statement (March 29, 2026) / CPP 56th-anniversary statement (December 26, 2024) / CPP 57th-anniversary statement (December 26, 2025) - OPAPRU (Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity) official website: CPP-NPA-NDF FAQs, list of signed agreements, December 1, 2023 article, July 31 / August 1 / August 7 / August 8 / August 16, 2026 articles

Secondary sources - VERA Files, "Wala nang grupong gerilya sa bansa?" (August 17, 2025) / "Ang mga pagpatay na hindi mabanggit sa SONA ni BBM" (July 30, 2026) / "Intense state-related violence carry over from 2025" (May 2, 2026) - University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center, the Dahas / Sandatahang Dahas project - The Diplomat (October 1, 2024), Philippine News Agency, Inquirer.net, Philstar.com, Rappler, GMA Network, Manila Bulletin, Daily Tribune, ABS-CBN, MindaNews - US Library of Congress (Federal Research Division), Philippines: A Country Study

注 Matters where a primary source could not be reached - A definitive source for the death toll of the 1980s purges ("approx. 9,000" is an NTF-ELCAC claim) - ~~The exact signing date of CARHRIHL (1998)~~ → Resolved in the 2026-08-26 verification pass: March 16, 1998 (The Hague). See §4.2 - The dispositive portion of the Calleja decision (the specific provisions ruled unconstitutional) - Settlement statistics for EDCOR during the Magsaysay era - The G.R. number of the 2025 Supreme Court decision ruling the first impeachment complaint unconstitutional (→ also unreached in this document group's "Presidents and Administrations" article, §6-3)

日本語の詳細版: 分野「政治・治安」「フィリピン共産党（CPP）・新人民軍（NPA）と反乱史」（本サイト日本語版）。