NPAs collecting 'protection money' from Kidapawan villagers

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines --- Eight of the 40 barangays here were tagged “areas with security concerns” due to the resurgence of taxation activities by communist rebels mulcting money from villagers.

The police and the military deployed last week intelligence operatives in the adjoining Barangays San Roque, San Isidro, Santo Niño, Linangkob, Katipunan, Malinan, Marbel, and Sikitan, to monitor the activities of New People's Army guerrillas preying on villagers.

1Lt. Nash Sema, civil-military relations officer of the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion, said the NPAs could have expanded their taxation activities in the eight barangays, which are located at the foot of Mt. Apo, in preparation for their collection of “protection money” from candidates for barangay positions in  the upcoming barangay polls.

“These rebels are good at collecting money using intimidation as their tool to force people and candidates during electoral exercises to give them money,” Sema said.

Sema, citing reports by plainclothes agents of the 57th IB, said the NPAs have warned to execute any barangay chairman in the eight barangays who would refuse to shell out P500 as protection money on a monthly basis.

The rebels are asking P200 monthly from barangay councilors, according to Sema.

1Lt. Bon Hugo, operations officer of 57th IB, said the rebels mulcting money from villagers and barangay officials belong to the NPA’s Guerrilla Front 72.

The same group was responsible for the burning of the processing plant of the Standard Rubber Development Corp. in Makilala town two weeks ago, leaving 700 farm workers jobless.

The NPAs committedthe arson attack after the owner of the rubber plantation refused to shell out money.