DILG warns LGUs not to pay “permit to campaign fees” to the NPA

January 13, 2019

Pay “permit to campaign fees” to communist rebels and you support terrorism.

This is the warning of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to all governors, mayors, as well as to all candidates about directly or indirectly giving financial, material, and political support to communist terrorist rebels as well as other non-State actors, according to DILG Spokesperson Asst. Secretary Jonathan Malaya.

“Secretary Eduardo Año has issued Memorandum Circular 2018-211 reminding all local chief executives and LGU officials that giving any form of support to communist rebels is a violation not only of Executive Order 733 but also of RA 10168,” he said.

“Many reelectionists are in the heat of campaign mood, whether discreetly or openly, as the May 2019 midterm elections near. Don't be fooled and pay 'permit to campaign'or ‘permit to win’ to the communist groups, which is being considered by the government as terrorists,” said Malaya.

In the said Memorandum Circular, Año directed all Regional, Provincial, City and Municipal Peace and Order Councils to apply moral suasion or to recommend sanctions against Local Chief Executives who are known to have supported communist rebels.

“These permits have long ben a modus operandi by the rebels. Under this scheme, they demand money from candidates in exchange to allowing them to enter and campaign freely in the hinterland that are within their area of operations,” he said.

The DILG Spokesperson said that this scheme is clearly a form of extortion and is repugnant to the right of suffrage not only of the candidates but of the individual voters as well. Furthermore, this practice becomes an opportunity to these non-state actors to raise funds to fuel their campaign against the government they wish to overthrow.

“The DILG is calling all LGUs and law enforcement agencies to ensure that all candidates and political parties are allowed unhampered entrance in every LGU and to ensure the peace and order in all areas, including those considered as hotbeds of insurgency, so that all candidates and political parties are given access to the electorate during the campaign period without intimidation or manipulation by any group,” he said.

Section 4 of the Republic Act (RA) No. 10168 otherwise known as "The Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012,” states that: “Any person who, directly or indirectly, willfully and without lawful excuse, possesses, provides, collects or uses property or funds or makes available property, funds or financial service or other related services, by any means, with the unlawful and willful intention that they should be used or with the knowledge that they are to be used, in full or in part: (a) to carry out or facilitate the commission of any terrorist act; (b) by a terrorist organization, association or group; or (c) by an individual terrorist, shall be guilty of the crime of financing of terrorism.”

Those found guilty of committing the said provision of RA 10168 shall suffer the penalty of reclusion temporal in its maximum period to reclusion perpetua and a fine of not less than P500,000 nor more than P1-million.

“The DILG may also file other charges pursuant to the Revised Penal Code and other pertinent laws and seek the disqualification of all those candidates who shall be proved to have cooperated with said non-state actors in accordance with the provisions of the Omnibus Election Code,” he said.

“The same course of action shall be undertaken against those incumbent local government officials or employees who shall cooperate or give aid in any form or manner-- material or otherwise, to non-state actors without prejudice to the administrative cases that shall be filed against them,” added Malaya. DMS