News Updates - 25 January 2010 (Monday)

NPA extorting money from Smartmatic?

By Jaime Laude

The Philippine Star – www.philstar.com

Monday, January 25, 2010

MANILA, Philippines - The New People’s Army is extorting money from Smartmatic to allow the telecommunications firm to operate in areas under rebel control, the military said yesterday.

However, Brig. Gen. Francisco Cruz, Armed Forces Civil Relations Service chief, did not say how much money the communist rebels were demanding from Smartmatic.

“But the harassment on Smartmatic is viewed not only as part of the NPA’s money making scheme but also their total disregard for the people’s chance of an advanced voting system,” he said.

Cruz said the NPA is also collecting “permit-to-campaign” and “permit-to-win” fees from politicians running for office in areas under their control.

“We urge the candidates not to yield in to such NPA fund-raising schemes,” he said. “To pay is analogous to paying ransom.”

Cruz said military intelligence reports showed that the fees range from P20,000 to P500,000, depending on the position the candidate is seeking to win.

“From 1996 to 2007, the NPA earned a staggering P1.15 billion or annual income of P101 million from its extortion activities on construction firms, mining, telecommunications, concessionaires, politicians and private individuals, including poor farmers, fisherfolk and sari-sari store owners,” he said.

National Security Adviser Milo Ibrado said a number of national and local politicians were monitored to have employed the NPA for their own political interests.

“At this stage, a number of them (politicians) have been monitored to be going around escorted by the NPA bodyguards,” he said.

The military and the police are under orders to go all out against these politicians and their NPA bodyguards, Ibrado said.

NPAs serve as pols’ goons: BertGon

By Victor Reyes

Malaya – www.malaya.com.ph

Monday, January 25, 2010

NEW People’s Army rebels are serving as armed goons to some politicians who are running in the May elections, according to Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales.

He did not identify the politicians but hinted they are from Southern Luzon, where the NPA still has strong presence. Gonzales visited the headquarters of the Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) in Lucena City last Friday.

He directed the Armed Forces to identify the rebels "moonlighting as goons of politicians."

"Next time I come here, I want you to have a list of all private armed groups in your area," he said.

Southern Tagalog and the Bicol region are under the area of operations the Solcom headed by Lt. Gen. Roland Detabali.

Gonzales also told the military to protect the candidates from extortion activities of the NPA.

Brig. Gen. Francisco Cruz, head of the AFP Civil Relations Service, said the election period is the "money-making season" of the NPA which collects cash or firearms from candidates.

The CRS said the NPAs demand P20,000 to P500,000 for "permit to campaign" and "permit to win" from the candidates, depending on the post they are running for.

Cruz said despite the extortion activities, the NPA continues to weaken. "This is because this money does not stay in the mountains but goes to the pockets of their corrupt leaders."

"Corruption inside the NPA organization has demoralized the NPA which caused many of them to leave the movement and join the mainstream society…we see extortion as a desperate coping method of the NPA to survive. Extortion is what’s keeping them alive, not their ideology," he said.

Cruz said it is "definitely absurd" for the NPA to demand fees for campaign permits, "much more guarantee anything for the candidates" because the NPA does not control areas.

"They do have members in some remote barangays but they don’t control territories," he said.

He asked the candidates not to give in to the extortion demands. To pay is analogous to paying ransom," he said.

According to the CRS, the NPA has earned at least P1.287 billion from extortion activities since 1996.

"For the period 1996 to 2007, the NPA earned a staggering P1.15 billion or an annual income of P101 million," said Maj. Eugenio Julio Osias, chief of the CRS Media Affairs Group.

Last year, the NPA collection amounted to some P137 million, Osias said.

"The money is extorted from construction, mining, telecommunication, transportation companies, logging concessionaires, politicians, and private individuals, including from the poor farmers, fisher folks and sari-sari store owners," said Osias.