Army official bares 'package-deal' extort scheme of CPP-NPA
From 'regular' extortion letters offering permits to campaign, the top hierarchy of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) has now come up with an 'improved' version and grander offer to candidates in the forthcoming elections.
Contained in recovered subversive documents in a government operation in Pilar, Sorsogon, Ilonggo Army Captain Lowen Marquez of the Philippine Army's Civil Relations Service (CRS) disclosed a new extortion scheme reportedly up for implementation and execution throughout the country.
It would now be a "package deal" of some sort, Captain Marquez said in a The News Today (TNT) interview yesterday with the deal broken down to a 70-20-10 sharing in favor of CPP top man Jose Maria Sison, 20% share to the local CPP group and 10% as proceeds to the national level.
And the deal reportedly has one major catch. In exchange for easy and unhampered access to villages and communities known to be infiltrated by the communist-rebels, the right amount of payment in the guise of a revolutionary tax plus a vote for CPP-NPA backed party-list groups must be agreed upon. The offers will be coursed through the top candidates such as bets for governor and congressmen. Extortion letters already distributed locally such as those reported in Capiz and undisclosed Iloilo towns are separate and independent moves, he continued.
Captain Marquez tagged partylist groups of Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anak-Pawis and Migrante as among those campaigned for by the CPP-NPA and included in the 'package deal.'
"The people must be warned against these partylist especially those in far-flung areas. Harassments will occur because of this CPP-NPA plan ordered by Joma Sison," he added.
The seized documents baring the alleged extort-scheme and the direct link and benefit to the said party-list groups will form part of the Philippine Army's evidence in seeking for the corresponding disqualification.
"We are ready to file this," Captain Marquez assured.