Reds target 'white area'
Fame and fortune found a new fan in the communist hierarchy with government intelligence reports confirming a switch on extortion targets of local communist terrorists.
In Iloilo, marked victims are investors in the telecommunication industry followed by big-time contractors of government infrastructure projects. Latest inclusion, The News Today (TNT) now gathered have classy hotels, restaurants and resorts here as next targets of the communists' extortion-crime spree.
Captain Lowen Gil Marquez, Commanding Officer of the 32nd Civil Relations Group of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) confirmed the report. In fact, the AFP also learned, a clear order from the national communist leadership reportedly gave a go-signal to communist rebels under the Southern Front Committee.
Ruben Lorca of Chiva Waling-Waling Command is the identified communist armed group operating in Iloilo towns of Calinog, Lambunao, Januiay, Badiangan and Cabatuan. The AFP has since been tipped off of the back-up provided by communist legal front organizations.
"The Communist Party of the Philippines -- New People's Army -- National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) together with the National Central Committee is in chaos how to produce a huge amount of money because they did not achieve the amount the needed in last elections," Captain Marquez in a news release sent to TNT said. "The terrorists decided to implement and concentrate extortion on the "White Area" as directed by the Central Committee."
"White area," Captain Marquez explained is the urban area where center of commerce, trade and governance is. Once realized, secret bank accounts will be activated with the distribution of extorted amounts on a 70-30 basis, the bulk going to the national communist hierarchy and remaining 30% to be distributed locally.
"The AFP in the region constantly monitors the situation around the "White area", Captain Marquez assured. "The AFP will secure the victims as per coordination with other law enforcement agencies if only to have an environment of peace, progress and development."
To recall, a Globe Telecom cellsite was burned down by communist terrorist rebels in Tubungan, Iloilo following the refusal of the company to pay revolutionary taxes. Recent report, the AFP disclosed was the extortion also demanded from the contractor of the city's multi-million fly-over project.
The Philippine Rigid Construction Corporation, contractor of the Infante flyover in Iloilo City, received two extortion letters, said Marquez.