Friday, April 25, 2014

DPWH 11 seeks AFP’s help over NPA `revolutionary taxes’

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 25): DPWH 11 seeks AFP’s help over NPA `revolutionary taxes’

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH XI) is seeking the help of the Eastern Mindanao Command over the continued activities of the New People’s Army (NPA) that hampered the implementation of government projects.

In the forum on the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CAHRIHL), DPWH 11 Regional Director Mariano Alquiza expressed concern over the alarming situation wherein NPAs burn equipment if companies fail to pay the “revolutionary taxes”.

Lt. Col. Thaddeus Jacob Obligado, Commanding Officer of the 10th Infantry Division said that based on information, the rebels exact one or two per cent for every gross income of the business companies operating in the region as revolutionary taxes. Ten per cent of the collection goes to the national office of the communist organization.

In such case, the NPA could be earning Php150 million and more in “revolutionary taxes” every year.

That is the amount reached when project engineers and private contractors of the DPWH did their accounting if the region was allocated Php 7.2 billion in 2013 and Php 7.9 billion for 2014 in infrastructure projects.

Alquiza said the NPAs are earning more compared to other government agencies which have small budgets. Alquiza said if DPWH allocation was Php 7.2 billion in 2013 two per cent of that would amount to Php 150 to Php 160 million, which could even be enough to build a one classroom building.

“That is now the question for all of us. We have to cooperate,” Arquiza told district and project engineers of the DPWH and their contractors during the forum.

The forum was conducted after DPWH received information from their contractors over the collection of “revolutionary taxes’ by the NPAs. Alquiza expressed hope that the military could help them on how to deal with the activities of the revolutionary forces.

He said the activity is also one of the reasons that are causing delays in the project implementation, particularly when rebels resort to burning of their equipment.

Alquiza said the NPA is working like the government such ordering suspension of projects if contractors cannot give the money. Sometimes contractors could not start the project because they cannot give the money. The NPA will also issue notice to proceed if it has issued a `permit to operate’.

“Inis na inis na ako dito (I am mad about this),” Alquiza said, adding that the activities of the NPAs are affecting government projects.

Alquiza said the situation is alarming.

Burning

Obligado said the arrest of Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, both ranking officers of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) resulted to increase in NPA atrocities elsewhere. He claimed that NPAs need money because Wilma, who was finance officer of the revolutionary movement, could no longer send money to the ground forces.

Obligado reported that burning of equipment continued to force companies to pay revolutionary taxes. Since January, the military already recorded eight (8) burning incidents. Out of the eight incidents, four occurred only this month.

The biggest damage caused by the NPAs was the burning of the equipment of Apex Mining estimated to cost Php265 million.

CAHRIHL

Alquiza admitted there is no way to stop the NPAs from doing their activities but there is a way to reduce their activities. One way is for the project engineers and contractor to go into an information campaign about CAHRIHL.

He said only few people know about the rights of the civilians, including even members of the NPAs.

Obligado urged DPWH officers and contractors to educate their workers because by doing so, they can be protected and know their rights. “You just need to display tarpaulins and put stickers,” he said.

But an engineer butted in asking Obligado that it is the role of the military to secure civilians against any atrocities from any armed group.

For which, Obligado responded “what have you to lose if you will advocate CAHRIHL to other people”.

Obligado also urged them to share information with the military because by doing so, they will be protected. Otherwise, Obligado said NPAs will continue to inflict harm to them and the civilians.

Others however hinted concerns on their own safety and security. One district engineer commented that they only have one life to live.

Obligado even went on urging contractors to go to the media to report any atrocity or any threat of extortion.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=637890

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