3ID to poll candidates: Don’t support rebels

From Panay News (Aug 31, 2021): 3ID to poll candidates: Don’t support rebels (By Ruby Silubrico)

The 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) of the Philippine Army warned candidates for the May 2022 elections not to give in to New People’s Army (NPA) extortion to avoid criminal charges.

Giving money to rebels for “permits to campaign”, among others, is tantamount to committing a crime under the Anti-Terrorism Act, according to Army Major Cenon Pancito III, 3ID spokesperson.

“Huwag magbigay ng any amount. Instead, report to us so that we can take the appropriate action against them,” he said.

Pancito said the NPA takes advantage of elections to generate money.

“We hope candidates will cooperate with us,” he said.

The 3ID will take part in election security preparations together with the Police Regional office 6 (PRO-6).

Recently, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar ordered all unit and area commanders to start preparing for a peaceful, honest and orderly conduct of the national and local elections in May next year.

Preparing early would be “effective in preventing election violence and other activities that would compromise the integrity of the elections,” he said.

On the part of the PRO-6, the command already started the preparations by going after persons with pending arrest warrants and those in unlicensed firearms.

“We have also started monitoring potential armed groups, intensifying the campaign against loose firearms and intelligence monitoring on criminals gangs,” said then PRO-6 spokesperson, Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong.

https://www.panaynews.net/3id-to-poll-candidates-dont-support-rebels/