ILOILO – The province’s top cop has warned politicians to stop submitting to extortion activities of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
Supporting the communist rebels in any form and means is going against the government, according to Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) director Colonel Roland Vilela.
Vilela was referring to mayors, vice mayors,
Sangguniang Bayan members, and other local officials allegedly supporting the local
terrorists by submitting to their extortion activities and shelling out
permit-to-campaign fees.
“Ito yung mga nag-support noong elections nagbigay sila ng revolutionary tax at tsaka permit to campaign, pero di ba it’s another form of support,” he said.
According to Vilela, it’s just a fair warning for these local officials who continue doing it.
“We have our eyes on them and we are compelled to report them to DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government),” he said.
He disclosed that four mayors were allegedly aiding the rebels during the election time but “this is a work in progress, based on the initial (monitoring), that’s the number.”
Vilela did not disclose the names of the local chief executives but said they are from “NPA-infested areas” in the province.
“Wala pa tayog profiling kasi nga tingnan natin kung mag-support sila sa ELCAC kasi after the creation sa provincial, it should be same sa municipal level,” dugang pa ni Vilela.
But he still cautioned that DILG may file cases against these politicians before the elections if it is established that they are still financing the NPA during the campaign season.
He, however, said the alleged support of
the elected government officials to the CPP-NPA are not considered rampant or
active.
“It’s not that active, percentage wise. If we talk of the 42 towns and one
component city of the province,” Vilela said.
He added that it will be able to gauge the support of the local government units if it will welcome the creation of the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) in their municipalities.
The PTF –ELCAC is to be formed by the province after the passage of the joint resolution of the Provincial Peace and Order Council and the Provincial Development Council.
“It should be cascaded to the municipal level, from there, we can gauge if there are still local government units supporting the rebels,” he said.
Vilela further said some of the mayors heeded to the demands of the CPP-NPA out of fear.
The challenge is how we can give a blanket security doon sa local elected officials and mga tao na nandon kasi babalik yan sila eh. Challenge sa amin yun,” thepolice provincial director added.
With Executive Order 70, which adopts the whole-of-nation approach, Vilela urged the support of the government and the private sector to face the insurgency problem.
“We are dealing with this problem for 50 years so high time that we face this problem na to kasi it hampers and hinders development in our area if we are going to support lawless elements kasi sa tingin ko they are longer ideologist but brigands, robbers, criminals, roaming around the hinterlands,” Vilela said.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist
organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom,
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines./PN
