"IT’S against the law."
This was the warning of 303rd Infantry Brigade commander Brigadier General Inocencio Pasaporte against local candidates who are reportedly giving in to the extortion demands of the New People's Army (NPA).
Pasaporte said they have received unconfirmed reports of some local candidates who chose to give in to the demands of the rebels instead of informing them of their situation.
"We assure to help them if they report it (extortion) to us, (they can tell us) if they are being asked of any amount," Pasaporte said, as he assured that the Philippine Army is willing to assist local candidates to campaign in areas infested by the NPA's.
"They can be charge for supporting this terrorist organization," he said.
Like Pasaporte, Lieutenant Abegael Donasco, spokesperson of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), said that candidates giving money to rebels can be held criminally liable.
Donasco said, though, that no local candidate has so far reported receiving extortion demands yet.
As to the question whether Himamaylan City should be included in the red areas due to a series of armed encounters between the army and the NPA, Donasco said it is too early for it yet.
At present, only Escalante City and the towns of Calatrava, Moises Padilla, and Candoni are under the "red areas," or those that are considered places of grave concern.
The last encounter that took place in Himamaylan was on Saturday, April 2, when alleged NPA leader Elbert Nicolas Quillano alias "Carding" and his wife, Jessa alias "Clea," died.
Quillano, who is involved in combat operations against the military and the Philippine National Police (PNP), while his wife was a medical officer of the Cental Negros 2 Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor, military records showed.
There is also no need for additional police forces in the locality, the Nocppo spokesperson also said.