NDF tags N. Samar pol clan ‘enemies of people’

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Nov 15): NDF tags N. Samar pol clan ‘enemies of people’

Communist rebels in Eastern Visayas declared top officials of Northern Samar as “enemies of the people” in a statement that the province’s officials said was just propaganda. In a statement, the National Democratic Front (NDF) in Eastern Visayas said Deputy Speaker Raul Daza and his son, Northern Samar Gov. Paul Daza, committed crimes against the people that included plunder and murders. The Nov. 13 statement, signed by NDF Eastern Visayas head Fr. Santiago Salas, said the reign of the Dazas in Northern Samar is the best argument in favor of dismantling political dynasties in the country. Representative Daza dismissed the NDF statement as politically motivated. According to the NDF statement, rebels are investigating numerous complaints against the Dazas that include plunder, systemic corruption, illegal drugs, illegal gambling, political killings and other rights violations. The rebels said the Dazas would be tried by a people’s court and face arrest by the New People’s Army. Among the charges against the clan, the NDF said, was the Dazas’ involvement in the theft of funds for a P3-billion irrigation project called Help Catubic Agricultural Advancement Project, which is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica). The project started in 2001 but is still unfinished more than 10 years later because of corruption involving the Dazas, the NDF said. Representative Daza said the family was never involved in the project. He said his role was only as chair of the steering committee that oversaw the project, which was bid out by other government agencies like the National Irrigation Administration. The NDF said the Dazas received 30 percent of the project cost as “kickback” from contractors. Representative Daza denied this. The congressman said the allegations made by the NDF were old issues that are being raised against him and his governor-son every election period. He said his accusers should just file charges in court if they have evidence to back their allegations.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/307712/ndf-tags-n-samar-pol-clan-enemies-of-people