NPA’s fees: From ‘permit to campaign’ to ‘campaign to win’

The New People’s Army (NPA) has shifted its election-season extortion activities to high gear.

From collecting fees for "permits-to-campaign (PTCs)," the rebels now collect "campaign-to-win" fees from local and national candidates who campaign in NPA-controlled areas, the military said yesterday.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero said the military has received reports that the NPA has begun collecting new fees in addition to the PTC fee. The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

Interviewed over radio station dzBB, Lucero said the "campaign-to-win" fees include demands for cash, high-powered firearms and food supplies from local and national candidates.

"We have reports that there are some local politicians who have acceded to this NPA strategy," Lucero said.

These politicians, he said, "gave out guns, food and even money to win the support of the NPA and ensure their victories in the NPA-controlled areas."

Lucero appealed to the public as well as candidates seeking local elective posts not to allow such extortion by NPA cadres.

He did not name the politicians who are giving in to the NPA extortion, or say how much money these politicians have spent to meet NPA extortion demands so far.

Lucero also did not say how much money was involved in this new extortion scheme of the NPA.

Earlier, the military said the NPA collects a minimum of P50,000 in cash, or its equivalent in firearms and food, from each candidate running for mayoralty posts and larger sums from gubernatorial and national candidates.

NPA spokesman Gregorio Rosal described the PTC fees as "the business of realpolitik."

According to Rosal, politicians who are aware of this PTC fee "voluntarily and intently seek lines of communication with the leadership of the (insurgents) or their representatives."

He had earlier announced the NPA would be collecting PTCs — either in cash or in kind, usually firearms and ammunition — from candidates who intend to campaign in "guerrilla zones."

Rosal said that, even if they are not told of this extortion, "knowledgeable politicians are taking the initiative to seek out and approach the CPP-NPA because they know the policies and who truly wields power in the guerrilla zones."

He boasted that "this speaks of the wide sway of recognition of the political authority of the people’s democratic government."

He claims that areas under the "strong influence" of the CPP-NPA and its underground political arm, the National Democratic Front (NDF), "currently cover at least 10 million people."

Rosal added that the NPA’s collection of PTC fees "is currently in full swing nationwide."

The communist insurgents and candidates alike — including those running under the banner of the ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) — have "mutually ignored" Malacañang’s declaration that the PTC fee is illegal, he said.

Not even the threats of the military and the Philippine National Police (PNP) will deter the NPA from collecting these fees, Rosal said.

Besides meeting with communist leaders to negotiate the PTC fees, Rosal said, candidates and representatives from their political parties have been meeting with "revolutionary authorities" to allegedly explain their programs of government to the rebels.

He said these politicians have also been explaining "how they can help the CPP-NPA and revolutionary mass organizations."

He said the funds generated by money extorted from politicians by the NPA will be used for "various economic, medical, educational, literacy and cultural programs" in communist territories.

"Through the PTCs, the people are able to get something more substantial out of the reactionary elections than empty promises and insulting bribes of a few pesos," Rosal said.

"Other than that, the whole (election) is only a big circus with politicians for clowns and a great deal of violence," he said.

Candidates allowed to campaign in NPA-held areas will also be barred from bringing firearms and bodyguards, Rosal said, so that "they will not cause trouble... and that peace will be maintained despite the violent character of reactionary elections."

Rosal also insisted that the CPP-NPA’s imposition of PTC fees in the coming elections will not derail the resumption of the communist insurgents’ peace talks with the government next month.

He said the government should address the talks’ agendas on socio-economic, political and electoral reforms "before talking about the PTC."

Formal negotiations are expected to be held in Olso, as the Royal Norwegian government has reaffirmed its commitment to play the role of third-party host and facilitator of the peace talks. — With Benjie Villa