Army says NPA mulcting traders in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 15): Army says NPA mulcting traders in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato

The Communist Party of the Philippines' (CPP) military wing, the New Peoples’ Army (NPA), has been mulcting various business establishments in the city and nearby towns, the Army-led Task Force North Cotabato (TFNC) said.

Lieutenant Colonel Haron Acas, TFNC chief, said several business establishments in Kidapawan City and neighboring municipalities have received extortion letters from the rebels.

He did not identify the traders but hinted “these are big business owners in the city.”

A police source said among those who received extortion letters from the NPA were gasoline stations, hardware store, mall owners, and agricultural traders in nearby towns of Makilala and Magpet, North Cotabato.

Acas said business owners have received the letter telling them that they should pay revolutionary taxes.

”Precautionary measures are being applied by the concerned traders,” he said, adding that intelligence operatives are closely monitoring the activities of suspected NPA rebels in the city.

Acas urged traders not to give in to the NPA extortion demand as it would develop a cycle of extortion activities.

”Giving in to the rebels’ demands is like giving them more money to buy firearms and fight the government,” he added.

The CPP-NPA Front 72 and Front 73 are operating in the hinterlands of the country’s highest peak – Mt. Apo and have been harassing multi-national firms in the province.

Kidapawan City and the towns of Magpet and Makilala are hosts to banana plantation and other agricultural companies providing livelihood to many locals, including relatives and families of communist rebels.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=516479