By Francis Wakefield Outgoing Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Carlito Galvez Jr., Monday said there is a need to form a group that will counter the sparrow unit of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA). Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr.
(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN) In an interview following the flag-raising ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Galvez said President Rodrogo Duterte 's plan to form a "Duterte Death Squad” to enhance the government’s anti-insurgency campaign, came about after learning that about 136 military, police, local officials and tribal leaders, have been killed in the past three years. "Sinabi ni presidente there are more than 136 persons who have been killed and assassinated by the CPP-NPA terrorist group so there is really a need to counter this," Galvez said. "And to counter this is to make our personnel vigilant and we need to counter this with the organization of counter sparrow force with the intelligence and our special units," he added. When asked how many sparrows are in the AFP's Order of Battle, Galvez said what they know is the assassination squad of the CPP-NPA is very active in Bicol and some areas in Samar, and Negros. The group is also active in Eastern and Western Mindanao. "We can have 'yung tinatawag nating counter sparrow unit which is mission intelligence as what we have done also in Basilan wherein there is also spate of killings being perpetrated. Ang ginawa namin dun is to counter the sparrow unit based with the intelligence, training, and also a unit specialized to hunt these people," Galvez said. President Duterte earlier said he would create his own hit squad to target the infamous sparrow unit of the New People's Army (NPA). The President intends to call his sparrow unit as the "Duterte Death Squad" that will hunt down NPA assassins who he claimed were “all over” attempting to kill soldiers and policemen. “One of these days, I'll be forced also to create my own sparrow. Walang hanapin kung hindi mag --- 'yung mga istambayan na mga tao diyan, suspected NPAs at bibirahin rin sila ," Duterte said before an assembly of troops at Camp Rajah Sikatuna in Bohol. "Kung makakuha ka lang ng isa, dalawa na maka-identify, 'Iyan sir, kasama namin,' okay na ‘yan. I will match their talent also for assassinating people I will match their talent also for assassinating people,” he added. The President's latest decision to form a government hit squad came amid the reported resurgence of the NPA sparrow unit. The assassins' group was reportedly active in the late 1980s. Duterte lamented that some policemen and soldiers were killed by NPA assassins while traveling outside their camps. "I'm trying to make peace with them, ayaw nila. Tapos pinagpapatay ‘yung mga pulis pati sundalo ko ," he said.