‘DQ’ hangs over head of those paying for CPP-NPA support in 2022

DEPARTMENT of Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary, Eduardo M. Año, is this time around not only “pleading” with national and local candidates not to give financial support to the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) during the election season but has instead issued stern warning that those doing so would face the DILG’s full wrath by actively seeking their disqualification.

In a statement last October 13, 2021, the bemedaled and highly-respected former Armed Forces chief reminded candidates on the provisions of DILG Memorandum Circular 2019-26 which described the payment by candidates to the CPP-NPA of the so-called ‘Permit to Campaign’ and ‘Permit to Win’ fees (PTC/PTW) as a “clear form of extortion and defilement of the sanctity of the right to suffrage.”

The illicit payment to the CPP-NPA by candidates, especially those seeking local elective posts, is an open secret and an ongoing racket of the communists and the politicians for decades now.

“Huwag po tayong magpaloko at matakot. Ang ibabayad n’yong extortion money sa mga komunista ay gagamitin din nila para makapaghasik ng terorismo sa bansa,” Año reminded.

According to the said directive, Año enjoins local government units (LGUs) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to ensure that all candidates are allowed unhampered entrance in every LGU and guarantee peace and order in all areas especially those considered as terrorist ‘hotspots.’

“All local officials should steer clear of directly or indirectly giving financial, material and political support to the CPP-NPA since this is a clear violation of law,” Año said, adding sternly: “This is something that the DILG under my leadership will never tolerate.”

A seasoned field combat officer and acknowledged as among the country’s top intelligence officers if not the country’s leading spook during his military career, Año has been credited for the capture or neutralization of the country’s top CPP-NPA officials, including former CPP chair, Benito Tiamzon and his wife, Wilma, erstwhile CPP secretary general, who were both arrested in Cebu province in 2014.
As AFP chief, Año, also presided over the government’s successful campaign to retake Marawi City from the hands of the ISIS in 2017.

Under MC 2019-26, LGUs are also directed to ensure that all citizens desiring to exercise their right to suffrage are allowed and encouraged and their rights are protected when participating in political assemblies and meetings and in the dissemination and receipt of information of any and all election-related matters.

“We must secure all candidates and political parties and ensure that they are given access to the electorate during the campaign period without intimidation and manipulation from communist terrorist groups (CTGs),” the DILG chief added.

Echoing Año’s declaration, DILG undersecretary and spokesman, Jonathan Malaya, said, “Supporting communist terrorist groups through financing or other means is an election offense and is sufficient to cause the disqualification of a candidate.

“We will follow through on our words, those politicians who will be proven as accomplices of the CPP-NPA will face disqualification cases from the DILG,” Malaya said.

Have P4 million, be a governor

During the virtual press briefing by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) last October 11, 2021, NICA (National Intelligence Coordinating Agency) deputy director general, Abelardo Villacorta, informed the media the amount of PTC/PTW fees that candidates are asked to give to the CPP-NPA:

P2 million to P4 million for gubernatorial and congressional candidates; P1 million to P2 million for vice gubernatorial position; P500,000 to P1 million for those running for city mayors and from P500,000 to P800,000 for those running as city councilors.

Villacorta said 60 percent of the collections go to the CPP central committee while the remaining 40 percent goes to the regional and territorial units of the CPP-NPA “to fund their terrorist activities.”

Villacorta further warned that the CPP is now scouting the list of presidential candidates that they can support thru “alliance building.”

Seeking ‘tactical alliance’ with those running for national office has also long been an election tactic by the CPP for decades now.

In the same media forum, former CPP-NPA cadre and former spokesperson of the NDF-Far South Mindanao Region (NDF-FSMR) Noel “Ka Efren” Legaspi confirmed the NICA intelligence reports but added the amount paid is dependent on a candidate’s “capacity to pay.”

Legaspi said 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, (from) P1 to P2 million; ang councilors P20,000 to P100,000,” he added.

He added that some concessions or negotiations can also be arranged for those who are asking for a lower price.

Legazpi also bared that the CPP has been fielding its own ‘cadres’ as official candidates, particularly those from the Makabayan Bloc in Congress.

“Lahat ng nominees doon (Makabayan Bloc) ay kadre,” Legaspi stressed.

He added that while the CPP leadership has laid down the specific amount that each candidate must pay, everything is “negotiable,” depending also if a candidate is considered as a ‘progressive’ (friend or ally of the CPP), ‘non-progressive’ (not friendly/reactionary) or the party’s own candidate.

By experience, territorial and regional leaders of the CPP are also amenable to accepting weapons, electronic gadgets, foods and other material items that can support their terrorist activities in exchange for issuing a PTC/PTW to a candidate.

Once victorious however, the CPP would, soon collect on this “debt of gratitude.”

NTC-ELCAC success

The creation of the NTF-ELCAC in late 2018, has also contributed to the declining collusion between the CPP and politicians, said Malaya, citing the DILG record.

In 2018, the DILG divulged a watchlist containing 349 local government officials who were identified to have ties and are supporting the CPP-NPA by means of extortion money in the 2016 polls.

“We are glad that in the 2019 elections, only 63 local officials were reported by our intelligence sources as having supported the CPP-NPA. This is a clear victory for our whole-of-nation approach against the CTGs,” Malaya said, referring to the strategy adopted by the NTF-ELCAC.

Malaya added Sec. Año has directed the PNP to “closely monitor” these 63 local government officials still maintaining their close association with the CPP-NPA.

He added that aside from violating electoral laws, Section 4 of Republic Act 10168 known as ‘The Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012’ states that any person who finances terrorist groups to carry out or facilitate the commission of any terrorist act, by a terrorist organization, association or group, or by an individual terrorist, shall be guilty of the crime of financing terrorism.

Aside from imprisonment, any violator is also ordered to pay a penalty of between P500,000 to P1 million.