March 13, 2012: While the larger MILF (Moslem separatist) group in the south is still negotiating a peace deal, the leftist NPA refuses to consider negotiations and are determined to fight. The army has responded with more intense operations against the NPA. This means more aggressive patrols and intelligence gathering. The army leadership has openly pledged to destroy the NPA but the leftists are not going easy.

Politicians and government officials admit that coup rumors six months ago were based on fact and that many government and military officials were very angry at aggressive anti-corruption efforts by the new president. The pro-coup group was unable to muster enough supporters to carry out their plans.

March 11, 2012: In the south two NPA men were wounded and a child killed when a bomb they were assembling in a home went off. The NPA uses the bombs against businesses that refuse to pay "revolutionary taxes" to the leftist rebels. Elsewhere in the south (North Cotabato), some 50 NPA gunmen attacked some soldiers but were repulsed, suffering three dead and four wounded. These NPA men were under growing pressure by the army, which was attempting to halt NPA attacks against businesses in the area.

March 10, 2012: In the north (Nueva Ecija) soldiers killed four members of NPA.

March 8, 2012: The air force received the first four (of eight) W-3A transport helicopters from Poland. Two years ago, after several years of negotiations, the Philippines ordered eight W-3As from Polish firm PZL-Swidnik.

March 7, 2012: In the south troops captured two Abu Sayyaf terrorists, one of them wanted for kidnapping and beheading dead marines.

March 4, 2012: On Sulu Island, an Abu Sayyaf bomb in a market place killed four and wounded six. This attack was believed in retaliation for the recent death of an Abu Sayyaf leader.  This was the fourth bomb to go off in the south in the last three days. The other three bombs wounded four people and were the work of another Islamic terror organization.