Rebels earn P30M-P40M yearly from ‘extortion’ – Army

From the Daily Guardian (Aug 17): Rebels earn P30M-P40M yearly from ‘extortion’ – Army

AN ARMY official claimed that the New People’s Army (NPA) is all about business, not ideology.

This is how Colonel Benedict Arevalo, 301st Infantry Brigade commander, described the rebels following insinuations that government troops “massacred” seven NPA leaders in Antique province.

“Again, it was a legitimate operation. They were criminals who fought against government operatives,” Arevalo said Thursday.

He claimed that the rebels are nothing but bandits who preyed on individuals and companies.

“We recovered proofs that are more than sufficient to prove that they have been into massive extortion activities,” Arevalo said.

In fact, the 301st IB modestly pegged the “earnings” of the NPA-Komiteng Rehiyon Panay (KRP) from its alleged extortion activities at P30 million to P40 million a year.

The amount was based on the documents seized from Maria Concepcion “Concha” Araneta-Bocala, the CPP-NPA-NDF secretary general of KRP.

Araneta-Bocala was arrested at Barangay Calumpang, Molo, Iloilo City on Aug. 1, 2015.

But a year later, local courts granted her urgent motions for release on bail as she participated in the resumption of formal peace talks between the government and the NDFP on Aug. 20 to Aug. 27, 2016.

“Given that the arrest happened three years ago, the number could increase,” Arevalo said.

With the incoming elections, the Army commander said they expect that the group would further intensify its extortion racket.

Among the stash recovered at the Antique clash site on Aug. 15, 2018 were several “extortion” letters signed by Ariston Remus of the Napoleon Tumagtang Command of the NPA’s Southern Front Committee.

Most of the letters were sent in August 2018.

The letters were rejoinders to earlier letters (based on the attachments) asking the individual or company to a meeting. The receiver was given 10 days to reply to the letter.

Part of the letter reads, “…liwat kami nga makipag-angot sa inyo agud magpahanumdum sining nasambit nga katuyuan. Magahulat kami sang inyo balos sa sulod sang napulo (10) ka adlaw. Kon anuman ang mangin panan-awan kag tindog ninyo sa amon pang-agda, ini ang mangin tuntungan sang rebolusyonaryong kahublagan sa pagtratar sa inyo kag sa inyo kompanya.”

(We will again get in touch with you to remind you about our purpose. We would wait for your response within 10 days. Your response would determine the actions of the revolutionary movement against you or your company.)

 WHAT MASSACRE?

Immediately after the incident, the NPA’s Coronacion Chiva Waling-Waling Command called the Antique incident a massacre, not a legitimate encounter.

Julio Montana, the spokesperson of the rebel unit, said the seven casualties are not armed partisans, thus the recoveries may have been “planted.”

But he refused to comment on the alleged extortion letters recovered from the scene saying they will issue a formal statement soon.

“Well, what can you expect from this group and even Karapatan? That’s something that is expected from them. The massacre angle is nothing but fake news,” Arevalo said.

The two groups, instead, should look into the acts of the NPAs in milking individuals and companies.

“If they ask for money saying that’s for a project, what kind of a crooked logic is that? I hope Karapatan should stopped meddling with the issue. If they want, they could join the NPA in the mountains at doon na lang kami magkita,” he said.

PEOPLE’S VICTORY

For Major General Dinoh Dolina, 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division commander, the neutralization of the suspected ranking NPA leaders is the product of the vigilance of the civilian populace.

“It is the people who provided reliable information to the AFP-PNP Intelligence Group regarding the activities and whereabouts of the members of the Regional Extortion Group of this terrorist organization. The tip-off is an indication that the people can no longer endure their extortion demands and other terroristic activities that they are casting in the area,” he added.

Dolina said the operation is not only a victory for the government forces “but most of all, it is the people’s triumph who are longing for the CPP-NPA terrorist-free community.”

The clash happened after members of the San Jose Police Station, Antique Provincial Mobile Force Company, and the Philippine Army’s 301st Infantry Brigade Intelligence Task Group attempted to arrest two rebels.

The subjects of the arrest warrant were Jason “Bebe” Talibo and Joven “Lex” Ceralvo.

Talibo was charged for frustrated murder before the Regional Trial Court Branch 67 in Guimbal, Iloilo while Ceralvo, along with Robert Buencochillo and Mary Joy Calapardo, among others, were charged with rebellion before the same court branch.

Government operatives tracked the rebels at an abandoned place in Barangay Atabay late evening Tuesday. At around 12:10 a.m. Wednesday, police and military operatives allegedly engaged eight NPA leaders in a 30-minute firefight.

Seven bodies were recovered in the aftermath of the purported gunfight.

Chief Supt. John Bulalacao, Western Visayas police director, identified the cadavers as that of Jason Talibo, Liezel Bandiola of Nabas, Aklan; Jason Sanchez; Karen Ceralvo, 41, of Vizcara Subdivision, Kalibo; Felix Salditos, 59, of Ilog, Negros Occidental; and Rene Yap, 60, of Poblacion, Leganes, Iloilo. One body remains unidentified.

Ceralvo is believed to have survived and escaped the police and military dragnet.

Arevalo said Talibo, 27, of Barangay Igdalayon, Igbaras, Iloilo was the finance officer of the KRP’s Southern Front Committee while Sanchez, 28, of Barangay Igtuble, Tubungan Iloilo, was the assistant finance officer of the NPA’s Regional Taxation Implementation Group (RTIG).

On the other hand, Bandiola was the NPA-RTIG’s cultural staff while Ceralvo alias Liway is Joven Ceralvo’s first wife and was designated as educational functional staff and RTIG member.

On top of extortion letters, recovered from the scene were three hand grenades, two caliber .40mm ammunitions, two rifle grenades, a homemade single-shot 12-gauge shotgun, two homemade caliber .38 revolvers, a homemade KJ9 pistol, three magazines for KJ9, and two empty magazines of undetermined caliber.

Also seized were two laptops (MacBook Pro and Lenovo brands), a netbook, 22 analog mobile phones, 7 Android phones, 5 tablets, and Canon DSLR camera, 5 Canon DSLR spare batteries, two pocket WiFi, a power bank, among others.

Meanwhile, the 3ID leadership said it is commending the civilian populace for the continuous and unwavering support and cooperation to the Army and PNP.

“We are calling other communities in Panay to do the same in order to put an end to the CPP-NPA terrorists’ ruthlessness,” Dolina said.

Despite what happened, the 3ID reiterated its call to the members of the CPP-NPA members to lay down their arms, abandon their armed struggle, and return to the folds of the Government.

“The Army, PNP and the local government units are more than willing to help their transformation towards a new and peaceful life together with their love ones through the Enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP),” Dolina said.

https://thedailyguardian.net/local-news/rebels-earn-p30m-p40m-yearly-from-extortion-army/