WITH the extension of martial law in Mindanao, the Mindanao Business Council (MinBC) hopes that the extortion of the New People's Army (NPA) from the different business establishments, especially in the rural areas, will be lessened.
MinBC chair Vicente Lao said Monday, December 18, that the NPA extortion had caused a lot of trouble for the business sectors. It had caused a negative effect, especially that extortion always entails additional expense to the business on top of the security issue that they are facing.
"The NPA has been threatening a lot in the business sector. They had been extorting money from the business sector and several industries, not only for banana but also from the manufacturing sector and even small businesses that involved in the rural areas are being extorted by the NPAs. That's a very bad effect for business. Now with the military being more present in the area, then hopefully that would be reduced. The business sector would like to see the day that without the NPA's extortion, business will be done the proper way. We don't have to have additional expenses for extortion money," Lao said.
Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) executive director Stephen Antig said the military has reported an annual revolutionary tax of about P1.4 billion acquired by the NPA from businesses nationwide. This amount also includes the money extorted from mining and construction companies.
Lao also emphasized that Mindanao, which had been under martial law since May 23 of this year, did not feel the ill effect of martial rule as the police and the military are not abusive, thus the confidence of the business sector in operating as security is better.
"You will only feel bad about martial law if the military and the police are abusing but so far, they have not done anything wrong and as a matter of fact, it's a plus factor because the business sector feels more secure with the military protecting us. Secondly, if the martial law will give additional legal tool for the President to go against the New People's Army (NPA), then the business sector would like to support that," he said.
Lao added that some members of the business community had been complaining that the NPA had extorted money from them although they refuse to disclose the amount to public.
Aside from extortion, Antig also said earlier that NPA had been responsible for the burning of the different manufacturing plants and company cars and trucks containing agricultural items for transport.
The Lapanday Foods Corporation had also ceased its packaging operations after it was burned down by the communist rebel groups April of this year.
Antig said small packing houses cost around P8 million around P8 million while the big ones are around P88 million.
"If these kinds of attacks happen and it's proven that it's a terrorist attack, it will not be covered by insurance. The insurance will not pay," Antig said.