CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Army officials in Mindanao warned the public against the serious consequences of agreeing to pay the fees the communist New People’s Army imposes so that candidates can campaign or even win in their territories.
“Since aspiring politicians are being forced to pay these amounts to the NPA, they may think of getting back the same amount from the public funds that will be entrusted in their office if they win in the election,” said Maj. Gen. Oscar Lactao, commander of the army’s Fourth Infantry Division.
Lactao explained that the NPA imposes a fee for a “permit to campaign” so that they can campaign safely in areas where they have a presence. The NPA also imposes a fee for a “permit to win” so that they can peaceably implement their campaign promises.
But the so-called PTC & PTW are illegal and not sanctioned by our legitimate and duly established government, Lactao said.
It is a violation of Section 10 Paragraph C of Article IX of the 1987 Constitution that states that “bona fide candidates for any public office shall be free from any form of harassment and discrimination.”
The practice also breeds corruption because officials may be tempted to dip their fingers in the public coffers if they are elected.
“PTC & PTW violates our right of suffrage and makes our electoral process a laughing stock because it is the exact opposite of having a democratic government that is a government by the people, of the people and for the people.
“For the NPAs, the more politicians the dupe, the more money they collect, more opportunities to sow threat. Graft and corruption would be rampant.” Lactao said.