by Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA
BACOLOD CITY — Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said local government officials supporting the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) can be considered as anti-government.
The governor’s pronouncement came Tuesday after the Philippine Army revealed that more than 30 elected officials in the province are providing support to the communist rebels.
“There’s no need to call on them not to support the CPP-NPA. It is their duty not to do so. Those who support the CPP-NPA are also against the government,” Marañon said in an interview.
Col. Benedict Arevalo, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade based in Murcia, Negros Occidental, said Monday they have learned that these officials provide financial and logistical support to the communist rebels, who then act as armed group for them, especially during elections.
The CPP-NPA has been tagged as a terrorist group both by the United States and the European Union.
Last month, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued a warning to all governors, mayors, and all candidates about directly or indirectly giving financial, material, and political support to communist terrorist rebels, as well as other non-state actors.
DILG spokesperson, Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya, said Secretary Eduardo Año has issued Memorandum Circular 2018-211, reminding all local chief executives and local government officials that giving any form of support to communist rebels is a violation not only of Executive Order 773, but also of Republic Act 10168 or The Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.
In the 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.
Malaya said 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.
“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,” he added.
