NPA killed 1 civilian a week last year - AFP

MANILA, Philippines - The New People's Army (NPA) killed an average of one innocent civilian a week last year, a military spokesperson said Thursday.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said a total of 53 civilians were killed by the communist rebels last year, which translates to one civilian was killed by the rebels every week.

Burgos said the civilians were killed in a total of 374 violent incidents initiated by the NPA in 2012. The incidents also claimed the lives of 81 soldiers, eight policemen and 22 government militias, he added.

“Such atrocities is a clear manifestation of the NPA rebels resorting to force and intimidation to coerce civilians including private firms and individuals, even poor folks in far flung villages of the country to give in to their demands,” Burgos said in a statement.

The rebels managed to step up offensives despite claims by officials that the military’s security plan Bayanihan is gaining ground.

The security plan emphasizes the importance of development and stakeholder participation in addressing insurgency.

“Visibly, the NPA continues to capitalize on soft targets, often resolving to inhumane tactics including the use of Improvised Explosive Devices, conduct of ambuscades, extortion activities, and sabotage of vital economic facilities,” Burgos said.

A total of 555 NPA members were arrested, killed or surrendered to authorities last year.

For January this year, the rebels reportedly staged 10 violent activities that left 10 civilians dead. This include the eight civilians who died in an ambush in La Castellana, Negros Occidental last January 27.

Nine persons, including one policeman were killed during the attack, which occurred despite the enforcement of the election gun ban.

The victims were traversing barangay Puso on board a Fuzo Center truck when they were waylaid by armed men at around 3:45 a.m.

AFP chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista said they would continue to support the peace efforts of the government despite the rebel atrocities.

“We will continue to intensify our focused security operations against armed rebels who continue to wage armed violence causing loss of innocent lives, destruction of properties, and damage to vital economic facilities and infrastructure,” he said.