The Armed Forces of the Philippines ( AFP) called on the nation to help the government win its fight against insurgency, as the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) New People's Army (NPA) marks its 50th anniversary on Friday.

"The Armed Forces of the Philippines calls on the entire Filipino nation to help us in the government in putting an end to the CPP-NPA’s decades-long violence, now. Let us unite in encouraging our misled brothers and sisters in the CPP-NPA to end the armed struggle and embrace the path to peace," Col. Noel Detoyato, AFP Public Affairs chief said Thursday.

"It is never too late for them to return to the fold of society and adhere to the rule of law. Our government has laid programs for rebels who wish to surrender such as the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program or E-CLIP to help them start their new lives as productive Filipinos," he noted.

"Your Armed Forces always welcome those who have gone the wrong path and eventually chose peace over the senseless revolution of the communist terrorists CPP-NPA," he added.

Detoyato said the 50-year rebellion of the communist group "is an utter failure as it only resulted to loss of lives and destruction to properties."

"If there is anything significant to the CPP-NPA’s existence, it is the fifty years of violence, injustice, atrocities, deceit and lies. They continuously hinder peace and development in some areas of our country," he said.

"The leaders, members, and supporters of the communist terrorist group should be ashamed of themselves for bringing years of hardships and misery to our people," he added.

Arsenio Andolong, Department of National Defense (DND) Public Affairs Service chief said the "50th year of the NPA’s existence is a very sad and unfortunate reminder of the Filipino people’s suffering at the hands of these criminals and terrorists."

"For five long decades the NPA stained our soil with blood, extorted from our hard working people, harassed our communities, and tore Filipino families apart. The screams for justice by their countless victims are deafening, and the President has heard them all," he said.

Andolong said the DND also "calls on all patriotic Filipinos to support the government’s efforts to rid this blight from our land."

"Let us show the world that the NPA and their ways of crime, violence and terror have no place in our homes, in our society, and in our country," he added. Robina Asido/DMS