Alleged extortion, crimes continue

AMID the ceasefire declaration and ongoing peace negotiations between the Philippine government and National Democratic Front (NDF), extortion and other criminal acts allegedly perpetrated by the communist rebels continue in two provinces here in Mindanao, the Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division (ID) reported.

Army’s 10th ID assistant Civil Military Operations (CMO) officer First Lt. Daryll C. Cansancio said that residents from Sarangani and Davao Occidental disclosed during a dialogue with them that some members of the New People’s Army (NPA) have been allegedly asking cash and inviting small businessmen and store owners to have a dialogue with them.

Cansancio also said that the rebels also forced selected residents to pay them for the NPA’s tactical defeat during its encounters against government troops last year. The rebels were also accused of asking for cash from small-time businessmen as payment for not giving financial and material aid to the NPA, Cansancio added.

“They are also forcing the residents to pay them for supporting the move [that] make them unwelcome in the barangays through a barangay resolution [which] declare [s] them [as] persona non grata,” Cansancio said, adding that CMO had recorded three incidents where the rebels invited some individuals and asked them big amount.

The 10th ID urged the rebels in Sarangani and Davao Occidental to cease inviting people and stop their alleged extortion activities that victimized poor residents and elected officials since this will jeopardize the spirit of the ceasefire declared by both parties just to have an atmosphere of peace while the talks is ongoing.