Communist rebellion in the Philippines

Quick Facts: Who was Communist rebellion in the Philippines?

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Communist rebellion in the Philippines

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A history of communist armed struggles in the Philippines, spanning from WWII to modern insurgencies.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The history of communist armed conflicts in the Philippines is closely related to the history of Communism in the Philippines, with various armed conflict linked to the armed wings of the various communist organizations that have evolved since 1930. The two largest conflicts have been the Hukbalahap Rebellion of 1942–1954, and the ongoing rebellion of the New People's Army, which began in 1969 under the auspices of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). But various splinter groups have since separated from the CPP and have had a history of armed conflict with the Philippine government since then. The Hukbalahap Rebellion was initiated by the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas of 1930 (PKP-1930) and its armed group the Hukbalahap (HMB) (Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan, or "People's Liberation Army"). They went into decline in the early 1950s and was finally put down through a series of reforms and military victories which led to the 1954 surrender of its leader Luis Taruc.

Career & Major Achievements

The armed conflict of the New People's Army against the Philippine government can be traced back to March 29, 1969, when Jose Maria Sison's newly formed CPP entered an alliance with a small armed group led by Bernabe Buscayno. But the conflict was still in its infancy in 1972 when Ferdinand Marcos proclaimed Martial law. The declaration and the resulting human rights abuses led to the radicalization of even the moderate opposition against Marcos, significantly swelling the ranks of the New People's Army. Major splits away from the Communist Party of the Philippines occurred in 1992 and 1996. A month after Marcos was ousted through the broad-based nonviolent People Power Revolution of February 1986, the unit led by Conrado Balweg formed a splinter group known as the Cordillera People's Liberation Army, whose conflict with the Philippine government formally ended with the closure of peace talks in 2011.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

1992 saw what the CPP refers to as the Second Great Rectification Movement, an effort whose stated intent was to "identify, repudiate and rectify the errors of urban insurrectionism, premature big formations of the New People's Army and anti-infiltration hysteria". This resulted in the once monolithic Filipino communist party fragmenting into at least 13 factions during the 1990s, the most notable being: the alliance that was the Revolutionary Workers' Party (RPM-P), the Revolutionary Proletarian Army (RPA), and the Alex Boncayao Brigade (ABB); the Revolutionary People's Army – Mindanao (RPA-M), and the Rebolusyonaryong Hukbong Bayan (RHB, Revolutionary People's Army) of the Marxist-Leninist Party of the Philippines (MLPP). The Hukbalahap rebellion began in 1942 when the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas of 1930 (PKP-1930) formed an armed group called the Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon (People's Army against the Japanese) to fight against the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War II. At the end of the war in 1946, the PKP-1930 reconstituted the Hukbalahap as the Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan ("Peoples' Liberation Army"), transforming it into the party's armed wing. This conflict ended in 1954 under the presidency of Ramon Magsaysay.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1930: 1930 Milestone — The history of communist armed conflicts in the Philippines is closely related to the history of Communism in the Philippines, with various armed conflict linked to the armed wings of the various communist organizations that have evolved since 1930.
2. 1942: 1942 Milestone — The two largest conflicts have been the Hukbalahap Rebellion of 1942–1954, and the ongoing rebellion of the New People's Army, which began in 1969 under the auspices of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
3. 1946: 1946 Milestone — At the end of the war in 1946, the PKP-1930 reconstituted the Hukbalahap as the Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan ("Peoples' Liberation Army"), transforming it into the party's armed wing.
4. 1954: 1954 Milestone — They went into decline in the early 1950s and was finally put down through a series of reforms and military victories which led to the 1954 surrender of its leader Luis Taruc.
5. 1969: 1969 Milestone — The armed conflict of the New People's Army against the Philippine government can be traced back to March 29, 1969, when Jose Maria Sison's newly formed CPP entered an alliance with a small armed group led by Bernabe Buscayno.
6. 1972: 1972 Milestone — But the conflict was still in its infancy in 1972 when Ferdinand Marcos proclaimed Martial law.
7. 1986: 1986 Milestone — A month after Marcos was ousted through the broad-based nonviolent People Power Revolution of February 1986, the unit led by Conrado Balweg formed a splinter group known as the Cordillera People's Liberation Army, whose conflict with the Philippine government formally ended with the closure of peace talks in 2011.
8. 1992: 1992 Milestone — Major splits away from the Communist Party of the Philippines occurred in 1992 and 1996.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Communist rebellion in the Philippines

True or False: “The Hukbalahap Rebellion was entirely suppressed by military action before any political reforms were implemented.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The conflict declined in the early 1950s and was finally put down through a series of reforms and military victories.

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