The 45th founding anniversary of the New People’s Army in Negros, ended peacefully on March 29, surprisingly without any insurgency-related activity, Col. Jon Aying, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, yesterday said.

Three days after the celebration, Aying, who supervises the internal peace security operations in Negros Occidental, said they have not monitored any insurgency-related activity of the NPA, or even the display of NPA streamers in public places.

Maybe they heeded my call not to resort to violence, Aying said.

In the past years, the military had noted that the NPA marked its anniversary by launching tactical offensives against state security forces, or vital installations.

Aying also belittled claims of the Leonardo Panaligan Command that it members grew by 10 percent in almost a year, despite the sustained military operations.

Ka JB Regalado, spokesperson of the Leonardo Panaligan Command, claimed in a statement that almost a platoon has been added to its existing military structure.

But Aying said the NPA may have been referring to the platoon-sized unit of the South East Front in Negros Oriental, the supervision of which was transferred from the Komiteng Rehiyonal Sentral Bisayas to the KR-Negros.

The KRSB has reportedly been dissolved in the south eastern portion of Negros island.

Regalado claimed that in over one year, they were able to conduct 20 tactical offensives in central Negros and confiscated 30 firearms.* GPB

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