Reds are now into business, says security expert

MANILA, Philippines—The local communist movement has opened shop, literally.

Retired Police Director Rodolfo “Boogie” Mendoza, a former police intelligence officer, said the Communist Party of the Philippines now has “sophisticated” ways to build up their funds, including setting up actual businesses.

In a forum of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (Focap), Mendoza on Friday claimed the local communist movement has a shipping company, a mining company, an agricultural firm, purified water businesses, tilapia fishponds and a fleet of taxicabs.

“They have mastered the art of infiltration because they are perfectly legal,” Mendoza said.

He added that the movement has one mining company in Luzon and two in Mindanao. It also has a pyrotechnic and rattan company in Cebu and a gun store.

“Their technique is also joint venture. But the company is 100 percent owned by the Party,” he said.

Sharing of funds

Of late, the movement has also revised its sharing of their collected funds.

Mendoza said that before, 80 percent of the funds went to the Central Committee while 20 percent went to the managers of the business, but this was changed to a 60-40 sharing scheme.

“This really accelerated the growth of the business. They have greater incentive. That’s why they (some party members) are exposed to corruption. That’s their weakness,” he said.

Mendoza also said that the CPP has other sources of funds, including collection of financial contributions from abroad through the posting of some senior party members in countries like Indonesia, Japan and South Korea.

“They are posted everywhere … Instead of receiving donations from the outside, they initiated the sending of their international finance officers abroad,” he claimed.

Other fund sources

Mendoza cited the arrest of a certain Jean Marie Ferraris, a purported member of the Central Committee, more than a month ago in Indonesia. She headed the international financial cell in that country.

Mendoza also said the CPP collects contributions and revolutionary taxes as well as membership dues from overseas Filipino workers.

But he said the CPP still relies on extortion from local governments and business. He said some guerrilla fronts have negotiated with some mayors for a share of their internal revenue allotment. –Alcuin Papa, Philippine Daily Inquirer