NPA extort strategy bleeds candidates

From the Manila Times (Mar 4): NPA extort strategy bleeds candidates

THE communist New People’s Army (NPA) has institutionalized extortion as integral and permanent part of their activities during election, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Capt. Gene Orense, spokesman, 8th Infantry Division, on Monday said that the extortion scheme which is implemented through the so-called permit to campaign (PTC) and permit to win (PTW) fees was contained in documents recovered by troops of the 63rd Infantry Battalion at Brgy. Capo-toan, Las Navas, Northern Samar.
“In another separate document, the NPA leadership issued a guide to the NPA insurgents in Eastern Visayas how to conduct an extortion scheme to politicians or local candidates who will run in the May 2013 elections” Orense added.

Documents, he pointed out, revealed that the extortion scheme would be implemented in three levels by the leadership of local communist movement and their armed group, the legal left organization and their sympathizers.

He explained that the leadership of local communist movement and their armed group focus in the conduct of discreet discussion with politician on the political line, supporting the legal left organization and direct benefits to their sympathizers.

The legal left organization, on the other hand, will discuss cooperation in the platform, ticket, campaign, vote watch, finances and resources for the campaign, while the sympathizers will engage in negotiations with politicians regarding the direct benefits they will receive once they pay the so-called PTC or PTW fees.

NPA documents recovered in Eastern Samar also showed that candidates for governor are charged up to P5 million; congressman, P500,000; vice governor, P500,000, board member, P1000,000; mayor, P100,000; vice mayor, P75,000 and councilor, P50,000.

On top of the PTC, the NPA is also requiring each candidate to give one high-powered firarm or an equivalent amount of P180,000.

AFP spokesman Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgo Jr. said that politicians should not give in to the demand of the rebels as it would only “spell more problem” for them.

“We have asked not to give into their demands because [doing so] will forever made them and dependent to the rebels and the NPAs will be extorting money to them all the time,” Burgos said.

He added that giving money to the NPA would also bolster its strength and provide the means to conduct more terror activities.

Burgos stressed that candidates should instead coordinate immediately with the police or the military when they receive demand or extortion letter from the NPA so that the authorities could make the corresponding counter-move.

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/news/nation/42675-npa-extort-strategy-bleeds-candidates