MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Sunday said a total of P1.2 Billion worth of properties were destroyed as a result of 31 New People's Army (NPA) atrocities against business establishments and government infrastructure projects in 2011.

This, even as, the military noted a decline in NPA-initiated violent incidents (NIVIs) during the past year.

Col. Arnulfo Macelo Burgos, the AFP spokesman, said reports gathered from various field units of the AFP showed the most significant of the NPA atrocities were the simultaneous attacks on mining companies in Claver, Surigao del Norte in October.

The AFP also reported that the NPA generated an income of at least P300 Million through extortion activities in 2011.

"This reflects the insurgents’ significant shift from projecting itself as a guerilla organization to a criminal group with extortion as its main fund-generating activity," said Burgos.