MANILA — Candidates for next year’s mid-term elections should coordinate with security forces as soon as possible to curb the “permit to win” scheme of the New People’s Army (NPA), military public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato said Thursday.
“Kelangan lahat ng kandidato mag-coordinate lang sa amin, sa pinakamalapit na PNP (Philippine National Police) or AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) na unit in their area para matulungan namin sila pag may lumalapit sa kanila na mga ganyang klaseng modus operandi na kumukuha ng permit-to-win. Wala silang kelangang kunin na permit (All candidates should coordinate with us, with the nearest Philippine National Police or Armed Forces of the Philippines unit in their area so we could help them whenever there are those who perpetrate various modus operandi, such as the ‘permit-to-win’. They do not have to get any permit). They just have to coordinate with us and we will provide area security,” Detoyato said.
He, however, said that to implement this, they need to know in advance the areas candidates will visit during election time.
Detoyato described the rebels’ schemes as “plain and simple extortion.”
He underscored the importance of candidates’ coordination with them, saying rebels get their strength and confidence from their firearms.
“Kung walang armas yan, hindi naman yan maglalakas loob na mag-threaten ng isang tao, ng isang kandidato (If they do not have firearms, they do not have the guts to threaten a person or a candidate). So we really have to be serious in getting these loose firearms na nasa maling kamay (that fell in the wrong hands),” Detoyato said. (Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)
