Army: NPA demanding taxes from city establishments
The 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army said the New People’s Army has expanded its extortion racket to the urban areas.
First Lt. Mark Andrew Posadas, spokesman of 3rd ID, said several establishments in Iloilo City have received extortion letters from the Finance Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA’s Regional Operational Command.
Posadas said that major hotels are targets of the rebels’ extortion scheme.
The letters were dropped off through an intermediary.
Initially, the letter does not mention the amount of “revolutionary tax” they are asking.
“The letters are invites to discuss with them (NPA) how much they (hotel management) should give,” Posadas said.
But aside from the invitation, the sender already hints that they would retaliate once the management refuses to give in to their demands.
“The retaliation could be in the form of harassment on their personnel or sabotage on the business itself,” Posadas said.
Although most of the time, the establishments refuse to give in.
“In doing this, those who will be affected are the consumers more than the business. The businesses, after being extorted, will have no choice but to pass on the burden of their losses to the consumers,” Posadas said.
The money being extorted will be used by the rebels to buy ammunition and firearms to harm and murder innocent civilians, he added.
The Army official, however, said these reported extortion activities should not be understood that the rebels have been successful in their mulcting operations.
“It shows desperation on their part. They could not extort from people in the countryside, that’s why they’re trying their luck in the urban areas or with groups they have not tapped before,” Posadas said.
He said the Philippine Army appreciates the move of the establishment owners to report these incidents to authorities as he dispelled any fear that the extortion attempt may create on the public.
“We’re doing our best to stay one step ahead of their plans. That’s why, we can frustrate whatever their plans are,” he added.
Earlier, the Philippine Army presented a letter signed by a certain Ruben Lorca, who identified himself as the CPP’s finance officer in Panay, confirming that the destruction of the van and the stealing of Megavia’s cash collection and goods last month in Igbaras, Iloilo was a punishment for the company’s failure to pay its “revolutionary taxes.”
