Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Friday ordered the budget department to release 1 billion pesos (19 million U.S. dollars) to fund the military's anti-insurgency operations against the New People's Army (NPA) rebels, the local radio DZMM reported.

Meanwhile, Arroyo instructed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to crush the insurgency in Northern Luzon and Southern Tagalog in two years, said the radio report.

She made the twin orders at the opening of the joint Cabinet Regional Development Council in Cauayan, Isabela, according to the report.

Arroyo also asked Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya to coordinate with her national security team on purchasing equipment that would help AFP fight NPA.

Andaya said the money would be released anytime next week.

The release of the special anti-insurgency fund coordinated with the plan by the Philippine government to file murder charges against Communist Party of the Philippines' founding chairman Jose Maria Sison, who is exiled in the Netherlands.

The murder charges are in connection with the killing of former rebel leaders Arturo Tabara and Romulo Kintanar, according to the government.

The NPA is reportedly a 8,000-strong rebel force staging anti- government guerrilla warfare for more than three decades.

Source: Xinhua