The 3rd Infantry Division of the Army reported yesterday a decline in the number of atrocities and violent activities by the New People's Army in Negros and Panay islands this year, compared to 2008.

Military records show that 12 violent activities were committed by the rebels in Western Visayas for 2009, compared to 63 in 2008 and 19 in 2007.

This only shows that the communist rebels in Negros and Panay continue to weaken, Capt. Mark Andrew Posadas of the 3rd ID said, citing the surrender of many rebels in the region, who want to avail of the Social Integration Program of the government for returnees, capture of their top leaders, and others who died in gunbattles.

Posadas said the 3rd ID is slowly achieving its goal of making the NPA an irrelevant force next year, as ordered by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In Negros , NPA violent activities were reduced to eight this year, compared to 40 in 2008, and 16 in 2007, military records also showed.

Posadas said that if not of the support of the people in Western Visayas and other stakeholders in the peace and development, this would not be accomplished by the 3ID.

The Communist Party of the Philippines , the political arm of the NPA, will mark its 41st anniversary on Saturday, and this prompted the military and police in Region 6 to be on heightened alert status since Dec. 21.

Traditionally, the NPA marks the CPP founding anniversary by staging tactical offensives against government and private installations, especially in remote areas, or by killing military spies and unwary soldiers or policemen, military records showed.

The AFP has recommended to President Arroyo a six-day unilateral ceasefire with the rebels, to take effect tomorrow until Saturday, as well as on Dec. 31 to Jan. 2 next year.

The AFP has claimed that the CPP-NPA now has about 4,000 armed regulars all over the country, compared to about 25,000 at its peak in 1986.*GPB

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