Intelligence reports obtained by National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) revealed that the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) are extorting millions of pesos from politicians who wish to campaign and win in areas that the communist groups control, a statement from the PresiÍdential Task Force on Media Security said on Monday.
The CPP-NPA-NDF is said to be making the collections through “permit to campaign” and “permit to win” schemes.
According to NICA Deputy Director-General Abelardo Villacorta during the weekly virtual press conference of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), for them to be able to campaign during elections, “the amount of P2 to P4 million must be paid by candidates vying for gubernatorial and congressional positions; P1 to P2 million for vice gubernatorial positions.”
City mayors must shell out P500,000 to P 1 million, and councilors from P500,000 to P800,000, Villacorta added.
Villacorta said 60 percent of the collections go to the CPP national organization while the remaining 40 percent will be used locally by the NPA to fund their terrorist activities.
The official also revealed that the CPP-NPA-NDF will sometimes use “barangay officials as their negotiators” for extortions.
The communist groups, Villacorta added, are now planning to get hold of presidential candidates whom they should support for some sort of “alliance building.”
Former CPP-NPA cadre and former spokesperson of the NDF – Far South
Mindanao Region Noel “Ka Efren” Legaspi confirmed the NICA intelligence reports, saying that the CTGs are imposing rates called ‘rata’— an amount intended to be paid by each candidate based on the positions they are running for and their capacity to pay.
Legaspi said that during his time, “For congressman and governor, the ‘rata’ ranges from P1.5 million to P3 million.
Ang vice governor medyo mababa. Depende naman sa status ng siyudad ang sa mga mayors, P1 million to P2 million. Ang councilors P20,000 to P100,000 (The price is a bit lower for a vice governor. Depending on the status of their cities, mayors may pay P1 mllion to P2 million, while councilors pay P20,000 to P100,000,” he said, adding that some concessions or negotiations can also be arranged for those who are asking for a lower price.
Legaspi also said that the CPP-NPA-NDF have been fielding real cadres as candidates every election period. He said that these candidates are disguised as representatives of
supposedly aggrieved sectors or mass organizations through the Party-list System.
Legaspi said the CPP-NPA-NDF cadres are the Makabayan Bloc members in
the House of Representative, such as Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Kabataan,
Act Teachers, and Gabriela.
He also said communist groups are also fielding candidates at the local levels to penetrate
and overthrow the government.
Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, meanwhile warned politicians or candidates who would give in to the CPP-NPA-NDF’s demand or build an alliance with the said groups.
He said this will not only lead to the candidates’ disqualification, but they can also face administrative and criminal charges for violating the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.