Members of the New People's Army in Negros may re-unite and celebrate Christmas season with their families, without fear of arrest so long as they refrain from carrying firearms, and do not have pending arrest warrants, the military said.

Col. Honorato de los Reyes, 303 rd Infantry Brigade commander, yesterday said this is line with the 21-day holiday truce, that took effect midnight yesterday, and will end Jan. 6 next year.

De los Reyes, however, said they will continue their regular patrols in the vicinity of military camps, but there will be no tactical offensives until Jan. 6 next year.

Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, provincial police director, said they will also abide strictly with the government-initiated ceasefire, but will continue to be on alert status, and will remain in a defensive mode, and will only react to aggression from the New People's Army.

On the other hand, the Communist Party of the Philippines- New People's Army has yet to announce whether they will observe or not a unilateral ceasefire, in the spirit of the Christmas season

De los Reyes also reminded commanders of military and police camps in Negros island to remain vigilant and to strengthen their defenses, for possible attacks from the New People's Army late this month.

The Communist Party of the Philippines will mark its 39 th founding anniversary on Dec. 26.

CPP spokesman Gregorio Rosal said in statement he issued that the plans of President Arroyo to revive the Anti-Subversion Law aims to instigate the Armed Forces of the Philippines to commit more extrajudicial killings, abductions, illegal arrests, among others.

“It will further embolden the filing of trumped-up charges against legitimate organizations accused of being communist fronts,” Rosal claimed.*GPB

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