Thursday, May 24, 2007 Bayan: ‘Dirty money’ blamed on RPA leadership squabble By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
IF THERE’S something to be blamed on what is happening between the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas (RPM-P) and its armed wing, Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Bongcayao Brigade (RPA-ABB), then it should be the “dirty money” or “extortion money”.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Negros (Bayan), militant group, said in its press statement sent to various media entities in Bacolod Wednesday.
RPA-ABB, formerly led by its national commander Carapali Lualhati, is accused by Bayan of extortion through getting “protection money” from well-known personalities in Negros Occidental like American philanthropist Charles Mosser and former ambassador Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco, Jr.
RPA-ABB also receives “retainer’s fee” from Maricalum Mining Company and Philex Gold Mining, both in Sipalay City, as well as from the proponents of the Ylang-Ylang plantation in Ilog, Bayan
said.
“Everyone knows that Carapali Lualhati is now living in riches from the extortion money he receives, while his soldiers wallow in poverty. This partly explains why some of RPA units engage in robbery, extortions, and other forms of gangsterism or offer themselves as goons in the service of landlords because the money was monopolized by Carapali,” Bayan added.
It also accused the breakaway group of assassinating innocent civilians and organizers of the various people’s organizations affiliated with the NFSW-FGT, Kilusang Mambubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Task Force
Mapalad (TFM), either on order of the military or sugar barons that use them.
Lualhati, according to PRM-P chairman Nilo de la Cruz has been stripped of power on April 18.
De la Cruz cited Lualhati’s alleged involvement in politics including some other complaints of harassment as their tangible basis of stripping off his power as RPA-ABB’s national commander.
The PRM-P chairman also accused Lualhati of spreading lies and intrigues.
Lualhati, however, denied all these. He called de la Cruz “liar”.
He said, on Friday, he will face the media together with some of the RPA-ABB’s national officials.
Aside from Carapali, also stripped of their powers were RPA-ABB’s officials like Veronica Tabara and Ariel Sabandar.
