Communist rebels earned at least P300 million from their extortion activities this year, and had perpetrated criminal activities that left 56 civilians dead, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Wednesday, citing its yearend report.
To augment their extortion activities and “support their criminal activities,” members of the New People’s Army (NPA) perpetrated 31 “atrocities” against business establishments and government infrastructure projects, the AFP said.
“Despite their projection of being a guerilla organization, the NPA has resorted to extortion and other criminal activities to gain funds and support,” said Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos, chief of the AFP’s public information office, in a statement.
The NPA’s extortion activities come in the form of “revolutionary tax,” with it says funds the communist movement’s administration, defense, land reform, promotion of production and social programs, including public education, health, cultural and other activities.
Burgos said the rebels were also involved in other criminal activities — among them arson, bombing, robbery, kidnapping, and murder — that resulted in the deaths of 56 civilians and six soldiers.
CARHRIHL
In its statement, the military also said the NPA “has mastered the use of improvised explosive devices (IED)” which it said is prohibited under the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and the International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).
“This resulted to the detonation of 21 IEDs that killed a total of 28 people, five of these casualties are AFP personnel,” Burgos said.
The CARHRIHL is a written agreement between the government and the communist-backed National Democratic Front of the Philippines signed in March 1998 in the Hague, The Netherlands and was approved in the same year by both parties. The CARHRIHL brings into light both parties’ reverence to human rights marking the basis for their action which should be for the furtherance of life and liberty and against the use of violence.
AFP appeal
The military leadership recently called on the armed rebels to cease their criminal activities and be sincere in the ongoing peace negotiations.
“We are concerned with the direction they are heading now. Resorting to criminal activities for funding and attacking civilians to command obedience are signs of desperation,” said AFP chief Lt. Gen Jessie D Dellosa.
“Nothing can justify these immoral attacks against innocent civilians and their properties, especially when there are peaceful and democratic means that they could make use in order to advance their goals,” he added. – KBK, GMA News
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