As the NPA rebels lose ground, the army is finding evidence that the Philippines Communist Party was working with the NPA rebels in some areas to try and establish political control in remote villages. Secret organizations were set up, with the intention of establishing local governments once the elected government was driven from the area. The communists were trying to have it both ways, letting the violent NPA do the dirty work, while the Communist Party bureaucrats prepared to take control.

Both the communist NPA and the Islamic radical Abu Sayyaf (and other Islamic terrorists) are small operations in the Philippines. The much larger Moslem MILF is making peace, and has turned on the Islamic radicals for making all Moslems look bad.