Anti-money laundering agency warns vs听funding support for听communist network听听
THE听ANTI-MONEY听Laundering Council (AMLC)听has issued a reminder that听providing monetary and material support to听the communist network is illegal and a crime that can be prosecuted under the anti-terror听law passed last year.听听听
鈥淧utting an end to the local communist movement entails cutting off their sources of funding and other means of support,鈥澨齮he AMLC said in a statement posted on its website.听听
The communist insurgency in the Philippines, the longest running in the world, involves the Communist Party of the Philippine (CPP), its armed group the New People鈥檚 Army (NPA), and the National Democratic Front (NDF) as political arm.听听
鈥淭he public must immediately report any coercive or illegal fund collection by the communist terrorists as these terrorism financing activities sustain the violent agenda of the CPP-NPA-NDF that disregards not only our country鈥檚 laws but also human life, public safety, and right over property,鈥澨鼳MLC听said.听听
Citing recovered documents from the group and statements听of former听armed fighters,听AMLC said听the听rebellion鈥檚听funding听comes听from听鈥渆xtortion/taxation, including election fees, such as听鈥榩ermits to campaign/win鈥櫶齠rom politicians.鈥澨
The dirty money watchdog also said the groups receive firearms, combat boots, uniforms, and technical equipment/gadgets.听
The CPP-NPA has been designated as terrorists by countries such as the US, European Union, Australia, the UK and New Zealand.听听听
The Anti-Terror Act of 2020,听or听Republic听Act 11479, is considered a crucial law for the Philippines鈥櫶齡lobal standing in terms of countering terrorist financing and dirty money.听听
However, several petitions are pending before the Philippine Supreme Court questioning the law鈥檚 threat to听freedom of expression and human rights.听听
ANTI-COMMUNIST TASK FORCE
Meanwhile,听National Security Adviser Secretary Hermogenes C. Esperon, Jr.听again warned against the budget cut of a task force supposedly aimed at ending the communist insurgency.听听听
The Senate slashed the 2022 allocation of the听National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC)听to P4 billion from the proposed P28 billion, citing the group鈥檚 failure to properly account for this year鈥檚听P16.4 billion budget.听
Mr. Esperon听said during a Wednesday public briefing听that听NTF-ELCAC鈥檚 funding next year听is听鈥渘ot enough to remove the problems in the barangay.鈥澨
The task force is supposed to manage projects and programs in barangays or villages that have been declared free from insurgency.听听
NTF-ELCAC officials have also been widely criticized for publicly labeling groups and personalities as听鈥渞eds鈥澨齩r linked to the communist movement without legal proof.听鈥斕齃uz Wendy听T.听Noble听and听Alyssa Nicole O. Tan听
