The Philippine Army (PA)has again urged the candidates in the May elections not to yield to the demand of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Bicol for payment of the “permit to campaign” (PTC), which is reportedly very much alive in the region as the electoral race heats up.
This developed as officials from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) regional office noted that indirect campaign strategies have long started even if the official period will start on March 29.
“I am urging candidates facing the PTC demand to come to us for their security and protection,” Col. Ricardo Visaya, commander of the PA’s 901st Infantry Brigade, said in a phone interview Sunday.
Visaya, whose brigade covers Albay and Catanduanes provinces, cited an encounter in Catanduanes two weeks ago where two NPA guerrillas were killed and yielded documents, including a list of candidates subject to PTC.
He said the National Democratic Front(NDF)list showed that candidates for congressman and governor have a PTC tag price of between P500,000 to P600,000.
He said for mayors, it is between P100,000 to P200,000.
“Even for the mere position of barangay captain, a candidate should pay P20,000,” Visaya added.
As this developed, several candidates in Albay have called the attention of the NDF-NPA leadership, asking it to clarify the letters and text messages they have been receiving, demanding certain fixed amounts in exchange for a PTC in NPA-controlled areas.
Complaints of text messages demanding certain percentage on government infrastructure projects, allegedly from people identifying themselves as from the underground movement, have also been shaking contractors who said they have to come up with the demand without knowing fully well if they are really NPA rebels.
The total amount could reach 60 percent on juicy contracts, he added.
Another contractor said she was summoned by the NPA rebels in their mountainous hideout to explain her failure to comply with their three-percent demand from her project.
“But after convincingly giving them my explanation about my heavy operational losses, burdened by the demand from politicians, the certified group of NPA rebels simply agreed and merely asked for a box of sardines, cigarettes and coupon bond." she said.
“I am urging candidates facing a PTC demand to come to us for their security and protection,” Visaya urged, saying PTC is the lone handiwork and brainchild of the underground movement.
He said the third district of Albay is most heavily NPA-infested in the province where the extra demand of “permit to win” was born during the 2007 elections.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=507991
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