Army warns bets of NPA extort scheme
Congressmen 'priced' P2M per head, guv at P5M
The Philippine Army has lodged an all-out media campaign to increase public awareness on the reported glaring extortion attempts of the communist New People's Army (NPA) here.
With Permit to Campaign (PTC) cards all set for distribution, the communist rebels appeared to have mapped out a well-designed 'extortion plan' passed off as revolutionary taxes.
If the communist-terrorists hierarchy are to be followed, the Army through Capt. Lowen Gil Marquez of the 3rd Civil Relations Service said, candidates for Congressmen will have to shell out P2 million for an NPA-free harassment campaign particularly in areas purported to be NPA-influenced.
Yet it is the candidates for governor who have more to spare for the rebels with demand set at P5 million.
The vice governor, on the other hand, may have his peace of mind if willing to pay P100,000, the board members P180,000, the vice mayorables in the city P50,000, the municipal mayors P30,000 and the municipal vice mayors P20,000.
If not heeded, the NPAs and their comrades in legal fronts will be utilized to destabilize and cause trouble to the candidates' campaign such as removal of posters, denial of areas desired to be visited and even denial of audience.
As such, Capt. Marquez calls on the community's vigilance and for the local bets to report to authorities.
“We are here to help and protect them. We appeal that they do not give in to the demands of the communist terrorists for we are determined to file charges to those who will be proven to have aided the NPAs in their package-deal extortion scheme,” he ended.
As per Army's validation, seven local politicians have been sent extortion letters, three of whom are mayorables in Iloilo towns.
The PTC cards are issued by a certain Jurie Guerrero of the Jose Percival Estocada Jr. Command of the NPA.
It has eight provisions which states that the card may also serve as “safe-conduct pass” in “guerilla territories.”
It also permits the display of campaign paraphernalia and holding of meetings.
Interestingly enough, the NPA cards specifies that it is not transferable, a permit to carry firearms and an expiration on midnight of May 14, 2007.